What a beautiful city.
Perfect day.
Sunny.
About 25 degrees.

Headed off after another breakfast with vegemite.
Just a quiet stroll today.

I looked up some other things to do and I was quite taken with the sound of the Boboli Gardens. These are the gardens belonging to the Palazzo Pitti.

History ....
The Pitti Palace, which was formerly the residence of the grand-dukes of Tuscany and later of the King of Italy, now houses several important collections of paintings and sculpture, works of art, porcelain and a costume gallery, besides providing a magnificently decorated historical setting which extends to the Boboli Gardens, one of the earliest Italian gardens famous also for its fountains and grottos.
They were originally designed for the Medici and are one of the earliest examples of the Italian Garden which later inspired those of many European courts. The gardens extend over a vast area forming an open-air museum
with antique and Renaissance statues, grottoes and large fountains.
.......

Exploring a magnificent garden on a sunny day in Florence sounded great .... so off I set.
Just at a very leisurely pace.

Up past The Accadamia and David ...

Stopping at lots of shops along the way.

To the Duomo and Baptistry in that magnificent piazza.
The queue to climb to the top of the dome was ENORMOUS!
It went on forever.

Yesterday, at the same time, there was no one there.
Absolutely no one.
I just walked up the few steps, put my ticket through the scanner and started to climb.
How lucky was I!
I thought it just might be a bit early.
But it was 10.30 about.
Nope.
Today, at 10.30am, lots and lots and lots of people queued.

Stopped for lunch.
Same place as yesterday.
The pizza is magnificent there.

People watched and gazed up to the top of the dome, watching the people walk around up there.

Onto Piazza Della Signoria ...
This is an amazing place.
Statues everywhere.
Magnificent buildings.
And so many people.
I quite like making my way through them.

You often wonder if anyone actually looks at things.... aside from through the camera lens.
Everyone is standing either, taking a photo or having their photo taken.
Those long stick attachments for the IPhones are popular.
People taking selfies everywhere.
I did think about it but decided probably not me.

Wandered along to the Ponte Vecchio.

Took a lot of notice of it this time.
Studied it from the walkway overlooking the river.
It is lovely.
More so looking at it like this.

It's not really so special once you are on it ...
Except for the 2 points that you can stand on the bridge and look out at the view, both ways, along the river.
They are great.
And the view is lovely.
You see such old buildings.
It really is amazing.
And I do love the views through the jewellery shops, out their back windows, onto the river again.

Still didn't buy anything.
Really, I think you would outsell all the other shops combined there if you just sold something nice at a reasonable price.
I would have bought something, just to say I bought it on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence.
As it was, I managed to buy something on the right bank ... and then something on the left bank.
Close enough.
Oh ... I did buy a magnet on the Ponte Vecchio.
There you go.
Done.

As I was looking at this amazing bridge...
( It was the only bridge in Florence that Hitler said was not to be bombed.
I did know that but it was reinforced by the tour guide I stalked.)

I noticed people sitting or lying or exercising on the banks of the river.
At least, I hope that lady is exercising.
She was stuck in that position for quite a while.

Over the bridge.

In and out of wonderful little shops ...
Then, in front of me loomed the Palazzo Pitti.
It is huge.
Off to get a ticket.
Ahh ... Boboli Gardens closed due to damage in the storm of Sept 19.
Oh.
b*****.
Oh well ...
Into the Palace.
There will be views out the windows.

People really knew how to do Palaces, didn't they?
I don't know when they had time to rule.
( Obviously, they didn't.)
I think they spent all their time buying enormous paintings and instructing the team of carpenters to make enormous gold frames for them all.
This place is just spectacular.
Every room, every bit of available wall space ...
Amazing paintings.
And the ceilings ....

There was a statue that is my favourite so far.
The little boy carving marble.
Just lovely.

The Palace was great.
The artwork amazing.
The gold frames spectacular!
Only a couple of views into the gardens.
They look amazing.

Back to the Ponte Vecchio.
I was had.
Charged 7 Euro for a gelati.
( Location.)

Wandered slowly back to my balcony.
Saying goodbye to Florence.
Rome tomorrow!

I never even attempted the Italian Postal System.
Didn't want to queue really.

The Doctor has not fared well this trip.
He's barely made it out of the case.

Speaking of cases ...
13 will be going to a new home.
I'm onto 14 now.

( I am never going to live this down.)