Good Morning, Firenze!
Our morning started with a sidewalk cafe with a Duomo view. Thinking we were ordering a Bailey’s and cappuccino, upon delivery, we realized something was lost in the translation! Apparently, our morning coffee was considered a cocktail. Delivered in a martini glass, it felt a bit decadent to be sipping a “martini” first thing in the morning! Crazy Americans! Day drinking at its finest…
With our day drinking/morning drinking out of the way, it was time to introduce Barry to Piazza della Signoria. Years ago, I visited this area with Corey. Since that day, I have been in search of a giant bronze turtle that had something to do with Utopia… I finally figured out that it was a temporary display. Time to stop searching… Entering the Piazza, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we were greeted by several statues. Our attention went immediately to The Fountain of Neptune. Commissioned in 1559, Cosimo I de Medici created this piece to celebrate the marriage of Francesco de’ Medici to the Grand Duchess Joanna of Austria.
Up a few steps, was a collection of statues displayed on a cement platform. This is the first time I’ve stepped up to really check out the works of marble art. It is incredible to realize how old these pieces are. Many are copies of originals, but still centuries old!
Commonly seen around the city, people perched on a step… deep in thought. Often jotting notes or writing in tablets. The historical aspect is inspiring in itself. When visiting an area like this, I think of how great it would be to teach students in a place where history jumps out of the textbook and lies before you… Several eras influence the architecture. One could spend a lifetime learning all the fine details of Italian, specifically Florence’s history!
Due to the crowds below, I only captured a sideview of this troubling sculpture. With his foot atop the woman he conquered… and her head proudly held in the air, this bronze sculpture was created in period of 1545-1554. Perseus with the Head of Medusa, depicted the mythological story of a horrible woman with hair that turned to snakes. Anyone who looked at Medusa was turned to stone! Perseus stood triumphantly with Medusa’s bloody head in his hand.
Just outside the Piazza, we walked beneath arches along the cobbled streets and sidewalks. Though this is considered “off season”, it was quite busy around the touristy areas. Our goal at this point, was to find a bank ATM to pull out cash. There are plenty of ATM’s around the city but we only use those that are directly connected to a bank. The fees or exchange rate on the typical stand-alone ATM’s are outrageous! Falling for the scam one time, cured me… I believe I took out 300 euro, which should have debited my account about $350 USD, instead the bank took out $450. Never again!
Having found an actual bank across the Arno River, we had a chance to cross the Ponte Vecchio Bridge. From the outside, these buildings look old and weathered. From the bridge, you see shops full of gold and other jewelry. For some reason, I forgot to take a photo from that perspective!
Okay, so I forgot to take a photo of the jewelry booths, but I did remember to take a couple shots of the river! Thanks to the very still waters, we could see beautiful reflections of buildings on the shoreline. Remember, you can always click on the photo to view a larger version of the photos :-)
Finally! We reached Deutsche Bank! Outside the glass doors is a mechanism similar to how you swipe a credit card at a Point of Sale transaction. The purpose of this is to make sure only people with active accounts are entering the secure area. It also documents who has been in the area. I kind of like this idea…
Our journey back took us by cafes. With the excellent weather, most were full. Better than the cafes, we passed by an amazing pastry shop! Freshly made, these items would be gobbled down by me, if only I could eat them…
Quite a way back, we could hear this guy playing… what we thought to be drums, were actually mostly pots and pans. Quite clever!
We reached our destination! For several months, I have heard about this hole-in-the-wall restaurant. With long lines outside and standing room only inside, we decided it would be worth waiting for. Family run I Girone De Ghiotti, serves high quality Schiacciata, it is a type of focaccia. Menus were posted outside the restaurant. The lines were long but steadily moved forward!
Most options come with prosciutto added to another few options. The menu showed some unique combinations. Let me say… Throughout my travels, I have read that many people with gluten allergies are able to eat the breads of Italy. In particular, I read many times that, because they only use three ingredients, many with the intolerance have no issues. Before our travel, I decided that I would order one of the sandwiches, taste a small piece of the crunchy, thin fresh bread. If there was an issue, I would simply eat the insides that aren’t touching the bread. Well… I took a very small bite and picked out prosciutto… I waited… and waited… (usually, I can tell immediately). Nothing. the tingling and joint pain did not start… so took another bite. I ended up feeling safe enough to eat the whole thing. It was Prosciutto, brie and arugula. It was like I’d died and gone to heaven! I’ll admit, last night… I had some inflammation issues but nothing like the normal pain that disrupts everything. It was totally worth the discomfort!!! I don’t think I’ve had anything so delicious. This morning, I woke up to some aches and pains but again… to have enjoyed such a meal… it was worth it. We just got a little bit of a late start. Took a nap mid-day and went out to dinner. But that will be in the next post :-)
Every few minutes, the gentleman on the left brought out stacks of long loaves of bread. Fresh out of the oven! He stacked them on the shelf and brought a few to the cutting board in front of him to drizzle olive oil and cut for sandwiches. Considering this bread has only three ingredients, instead of preservatives and 29 things that I can’t pronounce, might have something to do with why I was able to eat this meal and have relatively minimal consequences. On a scale of 1 to 10, it was about a 6-7… so definitely something I would risk again if I had more than 48 hours. As you can see… Barry dug into his sandwich and loved it! There is a special crunch to this very light bread.
Walking off lunch, we took a stroll in our area. Once a meeting place, it eventually turned into a ghetto. Because of the triumph arch, this piazza was brought back to life. Popular with tourists, this carousel is only two or three euro to ride. Built in 1871, it is now an iconic attraction.
Having visited this quirky, gathering spot on a previous visit, I wanted to share it with Barry. I feel like he wasn’t impressed. It was similar to the reaction Roxanne had last spring. I don’t know why it intrigues me so much, but on my next visit… I will take some time away and sit up in the cinema seats to watch a movie!
Walking back to take a nap, we made it through alleyways, side streets and saw new areas! On the right, you see horses… these are carriages that take people around the Duomo and can be seen all around town!
Finally, as in every city around the world… my husband is able to track down an Irish pub! Seriously… everywhere we visit! Nice way to end the day. By the way…. you’ll notice I am not posting anything about dinner. We never got hungry again after eating the sandwiches!!!
