Our ride today takes us to an olive mill and farm where the owner gives us an overview of how the oil is made along with a tasting of the oils produced from the trees on his farm (as well as instructions on how to taste the oil). In the process, he dispelled a lot of myths about what "extra virgin" truly means.
After the tour, we were treated to a fabulous mediterranean lunch - with most of the dishes prepared using olive oil in one way or another. Although each dish was relatively simply, this was probably one of the best meals of the trip (though the wine wasn't that great).
After lunch quite a few of us opted to add a few extra miles that started with a killer uphill section. It was the steepest yet and kept rising for a while. But the views were superb and we were able to visit another typical Tuscan hill town.
After exploring the town on foot for a bit, we headed to another fun stop - a local bike shop where everyone had a good time buying authentic Italian biking shirts. I found 2 I liked and was also able to get a pair of sunglasses to keep the bugs out of my eyes (I forgot to bring my own).
Dinner is on our own again tonight and Ted & I again join up with David & Jennifer. We tried to join up with another group, but they couldn't seat us all together. I had the ravioli which was good, but everyone agreed last nights restaurant was better (though tonights restaurant had a great view of the sun setting over the beach). After dinner I tried the grappa - and I still don't like hard liquor.
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Biking - Day 4, Morning
The buffet breakfast at the hotel has quite a selection - including 3 different types of honey from 3 different types of flower. One of the stores earlier in the week had over a dozen different types of honey. And all these years I thought there was only one type! But, the highlight of the breakfast were the chocolate croissants - still warm from the oven.
A bit of a prank was organized the night before for the morning ride review - we all showed up in our robes claiming that we were going to spend the day in the spa and not ride any more. Not missing a beat, Franco and Luigi quickly went and put on there own robes before briefing us on the days sights and ride instructions.
A bit of a prank was organized the night before for the morning ride review - we all showed up in our robes claiming that we were going to spend the day in the spa and not ride any more. Not missing a beat, Franco and Luigi quickly went and put on there own robes before briefing us on the days sights and ride instructions.
Biking - Day 3, Evening
The new hotel we arrive at is quite a change from the last. The Grand Hotel Tombolo Talasso is located on a white, sandy beach and offers all kinds of spa treatments. As it was still raining lightly, we thought it would be nice to swim in the indoor pool.
After changing, we head down to locate the pool. We're greated at the spa entrance who takes us on a "tour". We're allowed to look through a glass door at where the pool is located, but we need to pay 40 euro and make an appointment if we want to swim in it. We continue the tour...
We walk past massage rooms, saunas, relaxation rooms and end in a combination Roman and Turkish bath. She says we can use this for free which sounds more like it. Before she leaves us, we ask about the outdoor pool. She indicated it would be cold and dangerous do to the rain and lightening.
After spending some time in the steam and dunking in the cold water tank, we decide to take a chance and risk swimming in the outdoor saltwater pool. After a bit of searching, we locate it - and find no one else there. The water is a bit chilly, but no worse than New England beaches in the summer so we go for a relaxing swim in the pool.
Dinner is on our own tonight, so Ted & I join David & Jennifer at a local pizzeria (many others from the group are also there). Pizza is a lot better than we had in Florence.
During dinner I learn that even though my meals have improved tremendously from what I used to eat, I still have a lot to learn to truly eat healthy and nutritious foods. Some changes - switch from instant oatmeal to stone cut oats from Trader Joes; don't add raisons, they're not great for you; switch from fat free yogurt to low fat; use oil & vinegar instead of packaged salad dressings; cut down on (eliminate?) canned soups. I'm sure there were a few other lessons that I've already forgotten...
After changing, we head down to locate the pool. We're greated at the spa entrance who takes us on a "tour". We're allowed to look through a glass door at where the pool is located, but we need to pay 40 euro and make an appointment if we want to swim in it. We continue the tour...
We walk past massage rooms, saunas, relaxation rooms and end in a combination Roman and Turkish bath. She says we can use this for free which sounds more like it. Before she leaves us, we ask about the outdoor pool. She indicated it would be cold and dangerous do to the rain and lightening.
After spending some time in the steam and dunking in the cold water tank, we decide to take a chance and risk swimming in the outdoor saltwater pool. After a bit of searching, we locate it - and find no one else there. The water is a bit chilly, but no worse than New England beaches in the summer so we go for a relaxing swim in the pool.
Dinner is on our own tonight, so Ted & I join David & Jennifer at a local pizzeria (many others from the group are also there). Pizza is a lot better than we had in Florence.
During dinner I learn that even though my meals have improved tremendously from what I used to eat, I still have a lot to learn to truly eat healthy and nutritious foods. Some changes - switch from instant oatmeal to stone cut oats from Trader Joes; don't add raisons, they're not great for you; switch from fat free yogurt to low fat; use oil & vinegar instead of packaged salad dressings; cut down on (eliminate?) canned soups. I'm sure there were a few other lessons that I've already forgotten...
Biking - Day 3
Today is a transfer day meaning that we ride from one hotel to the next (with the van taking all our luggage). The morning starts with breakfast and our ride briefing and we head off - again riding with Ted, David and Jennifer. Just prior to lunch, we add a few extra miles by riding up and down the cypress alley immortalized by Giosue Carducci in the poem Davanti San Guido. We have lunch in Bolgheri, another hill town. While exploring the shops prior to lunch, David found a place that sells Sassicaia by the glass. This is a famous wine that sells in Tuscany for over 100 euros a bottle. We all had a 1/4 glass which cost 10 euro. The result was that none of us though its worth the high cost (though its nice to have sampled to be able to say I've tried it). We all had wild boar for lunch, another traditional Tuscan meal. I had it with wide pasta and it was quite good.
As we linger over lunch and in town, we are the last to leave. This turns out to have its good and bad side. The good is that being the last group, we get to ride with Claudio which means we don't have to worry about following directions or getting lost. The bad news is that it starts to rain just as we leave town. After a few kilometers it stops and we cheer as we think we're past the worst of it. We couldn't be more wrong. We seem to be travelling just on the fringe of the rain the entire way. When we arrive at the hotel, Franco confirms that others arrived mostly dry. Oh well, it didn't seem quite as bad as yesterday - or perhaps I'm getting used to it?
As we linger over lunch and in town, we are the last to leave. This turns out to have its good and bad side. The good is that being the last group, we get to ride with Claudio which means we don't have to worry about following directions or getting lost. The bad news is that it starts to rain just as we leave town. After a few kilometers it stops and we cheer as we think we're past the worst of it. We couldn't be more wrong. We seem to be travelling just on the fringe of the rain the entire way. When we arrive at the hotel, Franco confirms that others arrived mostly dry. Oh well, it didn't seem quite as bad as yesterday - or perhaps I'm getting used to it?
Biking - Day 2, Evening
Tonight's event is a wine tasting and tour hosted by Luigi, the hotel owner (different Luigi than the guide). We sample 2 whites and 2 reds. Everyone loves the last red - La Marze. The parmegian cheese was also quite good - though not quite as good as the sample in the Florence market. In addition to explaining differences in the wines, he also walks us through the process in which its made and explains how the additional labor and materials required to make the better wine result in its higher price (for example, the oak barrels can only be used 3 times and the wine in the barrels needs to be mixed and placed back in the barrels several times during the aging).
Dinner is very similar to the night before - though this time not as impressive as we now know what to expect. The antipasta and desert buffets remain the highlights.
Dinner is very similar to the night before - though this time not as impressive as we now know what to expect. The antipasta and desert buffets remain the highlights.
Biking - Day 2, Lunch
There was an option for some extra miles on the morning portion of the ride, so we all took it. The first part was mostly uphill - though the effort was rewarded with wonderful views and a truly wonderful long, gently winding downhill stretch. All of us wanted to do that downhill over and over again! Instead, we faced another uphill before reaching the town we stopped in for lunch.
The town was a small hilltop town (you could walk around the entire town in just a few minutes) and the restuarant had a nice outdoor patio where we all gathered. I had a spicy pasta which I liked and the house wine was a bit better than average. Was that thunder in the distance?
The ride back started with a downhill, though not as nice as the one in the morning and then a steep, but short uphill that was rather tough after the meal. Shortly after the hill I lost David, Jennifer and Ted, but had soon caught others that left lunch before us. Then it started to rain. Not too hard at first, just enough to wet the road. But, then we were back in the pine forest which is a dirt trail so I'm starting to get a bit muddy at this point. To make matters worse, the 8 pages of instructions is starting to take its toll - people are becoming less and less confident they are going the right way. At times I pass people coming from the direction I'm heading. I decide to press on anyway in hopes that its the right way. I made a few wrong turns, but luckily when the distances were short so they were easy to correct. There was one 5km+ stretch through the pine forest that was making me very nervous, but it turned out I was heading the right way.
As I exit the forest, the rain is really coming down (on the positive side, the mud is being washed away). Claudio is in Cecina guiding people to the gelato of the day - at this point I'm soaked and a bit cold so I pass on the gelato and continue to think about getting into the shower at the hotel.
The rain lets up as I reach the hotel - maybe it would have been better to have the gelato and wait out the rain afterall! In any case, it was good to be dry & warm again. As others arrive and share their stories, it sounds like everyone had an eventful day. Ted, David & Jennifer were riding with Luigi (the guide in training) and they ended up getting lost a few times - but they did stop for the gelato!
The town was a small hilltop town (you could walk around the entire town in just a few minutes) and the restuarant had a nice outdoor patio where we all gathered. I had a spicy pasta which I liked and the house wine was a bit better than average. Was that thunder in the distance?
The ride back started with a downhill, though not as nice as the one in the morning and then a steep, but short uphill that was rather tough after the meal. Shortly after the hill I lost David, Jennifer and Ted, but had soon caught others that left lunch before us. Then it started to rain. Not too hard at first, just enough to wet the road. But, then we were back in the pine forest which is a dirt trail so I'm starting to get a bit muddy at this point. To make matters worse, the 8 pages of instructions is starting to take its toll - people are becoming less and less confident they are going the right way. At times I pass people coming from the direction I'm heading. I decide to press on anyway in hopes that its the right way. I made a few wrong turns, but luckily when the distances were short so they were easy to correct. There was one 5km+ stretch through the pine forest that was making me very nervous, but it turned out I was heading the right way.
As I exit the forest, the rain is really coming down (on the positive side, the mud is being washed away). Claudio is in Cecina guiding people to the gelato of the day - at this point I'm soaked and a bit cold so I pass on the gelato and continue to think about getting into the shower at the hotel.
The rain lets up as I reach the hotel - maybe it would have been better to have the gelato and wait out the rain afterall! In any case, it was good to be dry & warm again. As others arrive and share their stories, it sounds like everyone had an eventful day. Ted, David & Jennifer were riding with Luigi (the guide in training) and they ended up getting lost a few times - but they did stop for the gelato!
VBT Van Support
A little bit later in the ride, we exit a bike trail in a pine forest that we have been riding in and find the VBT van waiting for us (again, proving we are still headed the right way). The van is much more than a place to refill your water bottle - its filled with fruit, cookies and other goodies. Its quite an impressive spread - and very different to have this available in the middle of a ride!
As we continue the ride, I find out David also works in software at a company called Ab Initio. It turns out there is a bit of overlap as a number of folks from Merrill interviewed there when the Merrill office closed. It was fun to have a bit of shop talk while riding through Tusdany!
As we continue the ride, I find out David also works in software at a company called Ab Initio. It turns out there is a bit of overlap as a number of folks from Merrill interviewed there when the Merrill office closed. It was fun to have a bit of shop talk while riding through Tusdany!
Biking - Day 2, Morning
Today the real biking begins. The daily routine that's established today ends up being mostly the same for the remainder of the biking days. Here's a typical day:
- 7am wake up
- 8am breakfast
- 8:30am - briefing on local history, where we will be biking and a detailed review of the instructions for the days ride at
- 10am - morning riding
- 1pm - lunch, exploration of town of the day
- 2:30pm - gelato of the day
- 4-5pm - return to (or arrive at) hotel
- 6pm - shower, prepare for dinner
- 7pm - event or other gathering
- 7:30-8pm - dinner
After last nights dinner, it was nice to see breakfast was a bit more ordinary. It was still buffet with plenty to choose from, but it was much easier to show restraint and eat normally. Today's ride is a loop - we will end at the same hotel we are starting from. At least that's the plan. There are 8 pages(!) of directions. They are good about highlighting which turns are tricky - but with that many turns, it will definitely be interesting.
Ted and I ride with David and Jennifer - a couple from Newton, MA that are also strong riders (they did 3 loops the prior day). It takes a little bit to get into the rythym of the ride - there's a desire to talk to get to know one another, but with turns coming sometimes every 100 meters on unfamiliar roads, its often difficult to do so. Shortly into the ride, we stop at an old Roman bridge - the first true Roman ruin I've seen (also good as this means we are definitely going the right way).
- 7am wake up
- 8am breakfast
- 8:30am - briefing on local history, where we will be biking and a detailed review of the instructions for the days ride at
- 10am - morning riding
- 1pm - lunch, exploration of town of the day
- 2:30pm - gelato of the day
- 4-5pm - return to (or arrive at) hotel
- 6pm - shower, prepare for dinner
- 7pm - event or other gathering
- 7:30-8pm - dinner
After last nights dinner, it was nice to see breakfast was a bit more ordinary. It was still buffet with plenty to choose from, but it was much easier to show restraint and eat normally. Today's ride is a loop - we will end at the same hotel we are starting from. At least that's the plan. There are 8 pages(!) of directions. They are good about highlighting which turns are tricky - but with that many turns, it will definitely be interesting.
Ted and I ride with David and Jennifer - a couple from Newton, MA that are also strong riders (they did 3 loops the prior day). It takes a little bit to get into the rythym of the ride - there's a desire to talk to get to know one another, but with turns coming sometimes every 100 meters on unfamiliar roads, its often difficult to do so. Shortly into the ride, we stop at an old Roman bridge - the first true Roman ruin I've seen (also good as this means we are definitely going the right way).
Florence Day 4/Biking Day 1 (transfer day)
Its the last day in Florence - the bus picks us up at noon, so there is still time for some exploration. Florence is a wonderful city to just wander about - its not that large and it seems every street holds wonderful views, wonderful stores, wonderful cafes or all of the above. We head to Scuola del Cuoio (the leather school of Florence, http://www.leatherschool.com/) which is in the monestary of Santa Croce. As you enter, there are a row of desks where a number of people are actively making leather goods by hand - quite interesting to watch. Given the pictures on the wall, many stars and politicians have also watched in the past. They sell what they make on site, but the prices are quite high - it was difficult to find a few items of reasonable cost to bring home.
We were close to the food market I tried to visit yesterday, so we stopped in. This was definitely a local market - clothing was being sold in bins for as low as 1 or 2 euro and there were plenty of fruits, vegetables, meat and fish. Its said this is where the restaurant owners shop in the morning prior to setting the menus for the night. As time was getting short, we had to rush a bit - I still needed to stop at the other market (needed to buy some more Amedi chocolate) prior to catching the bus at the hotel.
We pack our bags, head down to the rather small lobby and along with about 13 others, we wait. About half the people had arrived the day before (not taking advantage of the extra days in Florence), with one couple having their luggage lost by Air France along the way. It seems that all those that did arrive early for the extra days were all given the wrong information about which day to meet for the bus - with one couple trying to actually checkout. Noon approaches with no sign of the guides. Given the general confusion of the prior days, suspicion is growing on how well organized VBT really is.
A bit before noon the guides (Franco, Claudio and Luigi) arrive, though at the time it wasn't clear whether they were the guides or just drivers hired to take us to the next location. They quickly come in, give us luggage tags, take the tagged luggage out to a van and get us loaded on a bus. It seems that all of this happens in about 5 minutes. Claudio and Luigi (a guide in training, this being his very first tour) leave in the van with the luggage and Franco joins us as we drive a short distance to the train station to pick-up 4 others that are doing "land only" meaning they arranged there own travel. 2 of the 4 were quickly located. After about 15 minutes, Franco finds out the others will meet us at the hotel, so we are on our way again. Its about a 2 hour drive to the hotel, but Franco has brought along all kinds of fruit, water, cookies and chocolate. We were all quite content and Franco proved to be very easy going and humerous with some minor commentary along the journey.
The hotel is an agritourismo which means its a working farm that also has a hotel. Its quite nice - the rooms are in a few different buildings with olive trees and vineyards only a few yards away. We settle in quickly as we need to change into our bike gear for a general orientation and our first ride. This ride is only about 9 miles - primarly used to make sure everyone's comfortable with the bikes and how to use the cue sheets that tell us when / where to turn. Ted & I ride together and he proves to be a very able rider - we both ride at a fairly good pace and circle the route twice before returning to the hotel.
After the ride, there's some time to shower and change for a welcome reception and dinner. During the mingling I chat with two sisters and their husbands - it turns out there's a slight chance of a relation going back to Duffy's in Ireland (will check if the names surface in any of Mathilde's notes when I return). We were also treated to the salted fried dough and a few other appetizers along with one of the wines made by the owner of the hotel.
Dinner followed. Wow! It started with an anti-pasta buffet that was absolutely amazing. Lots of mushroom dishes, pepper dishers, tomato & mozerella, sliced meats and cheeses, breads and many other choices including a whole octopus (you slice off how much you want). All was very good and there was plenty available for second helpings (no - I didn't try the octopus). Dinner itself was a pasta dish followed by a breaded veal, both enjoyable.
Then there was desert. WOW! Another huge buffet with many, many choices (and no octopus!). The tiramisu was my favorite (though the strawberries were very good as well) and again, plenty available for seconds.
We were close to the food market I tried to visit yesterday, so we stopped in. This was definitely a local market - clothing was being sold in bins for as low as 1 or 2 euro and there were plenty of fruits, vegetables, meat and fish. Its said this is where the restaurant owners shop in the morning prior to setting the menus for the night. As time was getting short, we had to rush a bit - I still needed to stop at the other market (needed to buy some more Amedi chocolate) prior to catching the bus at the hotel.
We pack our bags, head down to the rather small lobby and along with about 13 others, we wait. About half the people had arrived the day before (not taking advantage of the extra days in Florence), with one couple having their luggage lost by Air France along the way. It seems that all those that did arrive early for the extra days were all given the wrong information about which day to meet for the bus - with one couple trying to actually checkout. Noon approaches with no sign of the guides. Given the general confusion of the prior days, suspicion is growing on how well organized VBT really is.
A bit before noon the guides (Franco, Claudio and Luigi) arrive, though at the time it wasn't clear whether they were the guides or just drivers hired to take us to the next location. They quickly come in, give us luggage tags, take the tagged luggage out to a van and get us loaded on a bus. It seems that all of this happens in about 5 minutes. Claudio and Luigi (a guide in training, this being his very first tour) leave in the van with the luggage and Franco joins us as we drive a short distance to the train station to pick-up 4 others that are doing "land only" meaning they arranged there own travel. 2 of the 4 were quickly located. After about 15 minutes, Franco finds out the others will meet us at the hotel, so we are on our way again. Its about a 2 hour drive to the hotel, but Franco has brought along all kinds of fruit, water, cookies and chocolate. We were all quite content and Franco proved to be very easy going and humerous with some minor commentary along the journey.
The hotel is an agritourismo which means its a working farm that also has a hotel. Its quite nice - the rooms are in a few different buildings with olive trees and vineyards only a few yards away. We settle in quickly as we need to change into our bike gear for a general orientation and our first ride. This ride is only about 9 miles - primarly used to make sure everyone's comfortable with the bikes and how to use the cue sheets that tell us when / where to turn. Ted & I ride together and he proves to be a very able rider - we both ride at a fairly good pace and circle the route twice before returning to the hotel.
After the ride, there's some time to shower and change for a welcome reception and dinner. During the mingling I chat with two sisters and their husbands - it turns out there's a slight chance of a relation going back to Duffy's in Ireland (will check if the names surface in any of Mathilde's notes when I return). We were also treated to the salted fried dough and a few other appetizers along with one of the wines made by the owner of the hotel.
Dinner followed. Wow! It started with an anti-pasta buffet that was absolutely amazing. Lots of mushroom dishes, pepper dishers, tomato & mozerella, sliced meats and cheeses, breads and many other choices including a whole octopus (you slice off how much you want). All was very good and there was plenty available for second helpings (no - I didn't try the octopus). Dinner itself was a pasta dish followed by a breaded veal, both enjoyable.
Then there was desert. WOW! Another huge buffet with many, many choices (and no octopus!). The tiramisu was my favorite (though the strawberries were very good as well) and again, plenty available for seconds.
Florence - Day 3, Afternoon
The guide for the Ufizi was much easier to hear and took us on a chronological tour of some works. For me, it was interesting to see the technical progression in the works - the change from wood to canvas, the change in subject matter and the change in paints that allowed brighter, more vivid works. There are many famous works here, and the tour included stops in front all of them. After the tour, we took a coffee on the outdoor cafe that sits above the Loggia dei Lanzi (an outdoor area next to the Piazza Del Signoria with a lot of famous sculptures). Unfortunately, there was only limited time to wander the remainder of the museum after the tour and we had to pass through the Da Vinci exhibit at a very fast pace - though I did get to see several of his notebooks, complete with drawings in the margins.
With the late lunch, niether of us was hungry for dinner, so we settled on another night in the hotel bar with a bottle of Vin Santo (a local dessert wine). Dipping biscotti in the wine was a wonderful treat. It was here I was able to capture details of the first days in Florence (posted earlier) - but without any Internet, I could not send them out. A brief journey out for a pint of Guinness at a nearby Irish bar while Milan played Arsenal in a soccer match ended the night.
With the late lunch, niether of us was hungry for dinner, so we settled on another night in the hotel bar with a bottle of Vin Santo (a local dessert wine). Dipping biscotti in the wine was a wonderful treat. It was here I was able to capture details of the first days in Florence (posted earlier) - but without any Internet, I could not send them out. A brief journey out for a pint of Guinness at a nearby Irish bar while Milan played Arsenal in a soccer match ended the night.
Florence - Day 3, Lunch
Lunch was at an outdoor pizzeria in the Piazza Della Republica where we had pizza and beer. The pizza wasn't great, but it did taste better the more you ate.
Florence - Day 3, Morning
I head out early to ensure a good spot in line to climb to the top of the duomo. I'm actually out early enough that I have time to head to a food market only to find its closed due to the holiday (Liberation Day in Italy). I return back to the duomo prior to opening with a spot near the front of the line. One thing I hate about Europe is how people don't respect one anothers place in line - you literally have to defend you're spot or others will soon be standing beside you and then in front of you. The climb first takes you to a walkway within the dome where you get a great view of the inside of the church (which, upon greater reflection still just looks like the inside of a church - perhaps I've seen a few too many churches over the years to be impressed) and a close up view of the fresco on the dome cieling. The next part of the climb is interesting as it snakes its way in between the inner and outer domes (there are actually 2 domes, one within the other) before ending at a landing that wraps around the top of the spire outside the church. Given its only a few hundred feet from the tower we climbed the first day, the views are very similar - only now with morning light instead of afternoon.
From here, it's back to the Pitti Palace. On the way, I pass the Ufizi - the line is incredible! Good thing we paid a bit extra for the guided tour with guaranteed admission. Fortunately, the line at the Pitti Palace was small and I was able to get a ticket and get inside rather quickly. The rooms in the palace are filled with art - lots and lots of art. As one of the guidebooks said, the arrangements are sometimes more about matching colors in the paintings or hanging all of the round ones together, etc. This made it hard to spot which works were more important than the others (it didn't help that I was looking at the wrong page of the guidebook). I found the inlaid tables to be the most impressive part of the collection. There were many and the designs were incredible. For example, one was a still life of shells - it had a specked reddish marble as background on which a number of of shells were created from other stones, complete with shadows and shading where appropriate. Quite amazing that the artist had the patience to find the proper colors to make it all work. On leaving the palace, the line had grown quite large - good thing I got there when I did. Now, off to the Academie to meet Ted and see Michaelangelo's David.
It's getting close to the start of the tour, but no sign of Ted (who has the receipt for the tour). A bit later he arrives - turns out he got delayed by a parade crossing - part of the Liberation celebration no doubt! Another huge line waiting to get in, but the guided tour grants us direct admission. The guide was good, but it was difficult to hear her as the museum was a bit loud. The statue was truly quite impressive - and this is after having seen at least 2 full size copies in other parts of the city. Its difficult to describe why it inspires admiration, but it truly is a "must see". There are a handful of other paintings and statues in the museum (including many plaster models from which marble carvings were made), but David is definitely the main draw.
We have a number of hours before the tour of the Ufizi starts, so we wander the streets shopping - starting with another stroll through the open market (no major purchases on this pass!). We enter a pottery store where the father makes the pottery and the son runs the store selling it. After a bit of conversation - the son being incredibly engaging in describing the process in which the pottery is made as well as helpful in selecting pieces and explaining shipping options, we both end up getting a piece that will be shipped to the US.
From here, it's back to the Pitti Palace. On the way, I pass the Ufizi - the line is incredible! Good thing we paid a bit extra for the guided tour with guaranteed admission. Fortunately, the line at the Pitti Palace was small and I was able to get a ticket and get inside rather quickly. The rooms in the palace are filled with art - lots and lots of art. As one of the guidebooks said, the arrangements are sometimes more about matching colors in the paintings or hanging all of the round ones together, etc. This made it hard to spot which works were more important than the others (it didn't help that I was looking at the wrong page of the guidebook). I found the inlaid tables to be the most impressive part of the collection. There were many and the designs were incredible. For example, one was a still life of shells - it had a specked reddish marble as background on which a number of of shells were created from other stones, complete with shadows and shading where appropriate. Quite amazing that the artist had the patience to find the proper colors to make it all work. On leaving the palace, the line had grown quite large - good thing I got there when I did. Now, off to the Academie to meet Ted and see Michaelangelo's David.
It's getting close to the start of the tour, but no sign of Ted (who has the receipt for the tour). A bit later he arrives - turns out he got delayed by a parade crossing - part of the Liberation celebration no doubt! Another huge line waiting to get in, but the guided tour grants us direct admission. The guide was good, but it was difficult to hear her as the museum was a bit loud. The statue was truly quite impressive - and this is after having seen at least 2 full size copies in other parts of the city. Its difficult to describe why it inspires admiration, but it truly is a "must see". There are a handful of other paintings and statues in the museum (including many plaster models from which marble carvings were made), but David is definitely the main draw.
We have a number of hours before the tour of the Ufizi starts, so we wander the streets shopping - starting with another stroll through the open market (no major purchases on this pass!). We enter a pottery store where the father makes the pottery and the son runs the store selling it. After a bit of conversation - the son being incredibly engaging in describing the process in which the pottery is made as well as helpful in selecting pieces and explaining shipping options, we both end up getting a piece that will be shipped to the US.
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