From the port of Livorno we headed first to Pisa. Pisa reminded me a bit of seeing the Alamo for the first time. It is such a strange experience to see the old historic buildings right in the midst of all the current day hustle and bustle in San Antonio. One has much the same experience upon walking through the gate into Pisa. On a big field of green across the street from regular city shops you see the church, the baptistry and the tower. They seem a bit out of place. Anyway, the tower started to sink when only 3 floors had been built and it continues to lean at a rate of 1-2 millimeters per year. We spent some time on the grounds and bought some postcards then headed for Florence. Florence is a city of wall to wall people but it is also considered a great city for art. I think we saw more diversity in this city than we have so far. We stood next to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the fourth largest church in the world. It has an amazing gilded bronze doorway depicting scenes from the Bible in eight panels. From religion we moved on to conspicuous consumption as we strolled down the Ponte Vecchio. Described as a woman's heaven and a man's hell, the stores glow with gold and gems for nearly a mile. At the end is the bridge over the River Arno and beautiful scenes of the city bordering the river. Then comes art and from the bridge we took a walk through the Ufizzi Plaza to Piazza della Sigoria which is filled with statues and sculptures. Without a doubt the most awe inspiring event of the trip so far was the moment we walked into the gallery that houses the David. It was a breathtaking experience and our tour guide Sam, was very knowledgeable about art in general but the sculpture specifically so we spent considerable time walking around the statue while he described the various features. It was for sure one of the moments I will remember forever. Florence is home to many producers of fine leather goods and you can smell the aromas almost as soon as you enter the city. The leather is so soft to the touch and the colors and assortment of styles overwhelming. Oddly enough we met a woman living in Florence originally from Tyler, TX. It truly is a small world.