Day 223, 12 February 2013. Florence (and off to Venezia/Venice tonight!)
Packing day has come around all too soon, but quickly accomplished and we checked out and headed to the Accademia to visit Michaelangelo's "David". Beautifully displayed under a light filled dome, it was diabolically hard to resist taking photos (today's snap is of a replica in the Piazza della Signorina, just outside the Palazzo Vecchio). We also saw several unfinished works by the great man - figures trapped in time, half in, half out of their marble cocoons. We moved on after seeing David and made our way across the Ponte di Vecchio to the Oltrarno area (translated as the other side of the Arno [river]). Aside from the Palazzo Pitti and it's many museums, this area is famous for its craftsmen and artisans. And it should also be famous for its overpriced restaruants and cafes. We had a good look around then headed back to town for lunch at one of our favourite restaurants (seriously - who gets favourites when they're in a town for 3 nights....?). Tourists in Italy face many dangers - pickpockets, bent cab drivers, uneven cobble stones (and of course hotels overcharging for wifi!), but the main danger is getting into the habit of a bottle of red wine at lunchtime.... afterall, it's a few hours till the train to Venice.... We had but one more stop, a shop we had spied on Via Faenza during last nights rainy walk. Vintage Italian fashions and furs.... It used to have a divine swing coat of rabbit and suede for sale.... Note I said used to... not any more! And Venice here we come - travelling on the zippy Silver Arrow / Freciargento as we speak and the snow is six inches thick on the platform at Padova. Suspect the vintage Bugs Bunny coat is going to come in very, very handy over the next few weeks of snow laden winter in Venice/Slovakia/Poland & Germany!