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| il Duomo, Florence |
One thing I’ve learned after nearly 29 years of marriage is that, to make Lori happy, all I need to do is take her to Florence.
Our flight to Turkey–the next major leg of our journey–left on a Wednesday from Bologna, so we needed to get closer to the airport. We hate rush-to-the-airport mornings of getting up at 4:00am (we’ve done quite a few of them) so when we can, we opt for getting close the night before. Unfortunately, hotel rates in Bologna were horrible that Tuesday night (owing to an Oscar Mayer corporate meeting, I believe), but to Lori’s glee we found a great rate at a hotel in Florence (only a 30 minute train ride from Bologna), which happened to be in a great spot. Note to self: Hotel Romagna in Florence is on the short-list of hotels for any return visit.
We arrived in Florence before lunch (of course: why would you arrive anywhere in Italy after lunch?) The hotel was gracious enough to let us check in early and leave our bag. Not only that, but they offered to carry our bags up to our floor because (they explained apologetically) they didn’t have an elevator. Had they known the weight of our bags, I’m sure they would have reconsidered their offer. A few minutes later we were strolling through one of the must-see sights of Florence, the il Duomo cathedral.
Now we’ve seen il Duomo, with its iconic red dome and white and green marble facade, several times. And that’s a good thing: unfortunately I don’t think Lori and I will ever enter the church again unless it’s to attend mass. The visiting hoards queue up on the outside of the church and are shepherded, shuffling and jostling, around the periphery of the church, barely given enough time to snap a few pictures. It was incredibly disappointing, as we like to find a quiet pew, sit and admire the beauty of the church, and actually say a prayer or two. There are many other fine churches in Florence, so if you’ve seen il Duomo already and you plan a return visit, you might consider skipping the hoards here and going on to Santa Croce or the Basilica of San Lorenzo.
After being herded out of il Duomo we proceeded down Via Calzaiuoli, the main street that takes you to the main square, Piazza Signoria. About halfway down we stopped for lunch at Marchetti, a counter-service restaurant we’ve eaten at a few times before, then–also to Lori’s glee–we were off to buy a dress shirt or two for Chuck. Florence, by the way, is a great place for shopping, from street vendors to high-end designer stores. For the record, “Coin” is a great department store for variety and prices.
With 2 new shirts in the bag, we were off on a walking circuit that took as to the Ponte Vecchio, along the river, to the church of Santa Croce, where–in the shadow of the church–we stopped for a couple of glasses of wine. Then we walked back to the north of il Duomo, where some of the most interesting little shops of Florence can be found, then through yet another market before succumbing to tired feet and heading back to our hotel for an afternoon siesta.
For dinner we went to il David’s, our favorite restaurant in Florence. It’s a fantastic little spot on the Piazza Signoria. When we walked up, Roberto recognized us and greeted us like old friends. I guess it’s safe to say we’re regulars, and not just temporary regulars.
Note to self number two: take Lori to Florence for a month or so next time.
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| Roberto at il David’s; You Might Recognize Him From This Link. Stop in and tell him Chuck and Lori sent you! |
