Ciao David

Today we finally saw Michaelangelo's David. Another surreal sight after seeing the copies around town.

Sculpted by Michaelangelo when he was only 26 and brought to the Accademia in 1873 after 369 years outside, the statue is an impressive 17 feet tall. As familiar as we all are with what it looks like from the front, it's great to be able to take a slow walk all the way around it.

For as crowded as Florence is, there weren't *that* many people inside and the fact that everyone's camera is pointing up is helpful. As are the timed entry tickets. Did we plan in advance enough to get regular tickets? No. But we also know how to find overpriced reseller tickets. Still better than the giant line of people with no reservation.

We did spend more time in the museum looking at art from the 14th (vs 15th) century. All very interesting but it started to become a blur. That means it's time for lunch and gelato.

We're back at home for the afternoon recharge. Watch this space for our next adventures.

The less frequently seen backside.

It's a lady with a panther.

Not amused at how much attention David gets compared to the art on this floor.

No, I don't remember who this is but I like their colorful robes.

This pig at the bottom represents the pig fat that would be used to cure a disease called "St. Anthony's Fire". ???

I'm enjoying the street art we see around town.

Apparently Sophia Loren has a restaurant in Florence. What are the chances she hangs out there?

Tre di Cinque Terre

How many of the five lands on the Ligurian Sea can you see in 24 hours? If you're John and me you can see three. Well, two and a half. 

After Pisa we caught a train to Monterosso, the northern most town of the famed five. The beaches were covered with sunbathers blanket to blanket and chair to chair. We went to check in to our Airbnb and were given a hotel room before getting it straightened out and moving to our apartment. Once settled we went out for a stroll along the water with several stops for drinks, snacks and people watching before heading into the old part of town for dinner.

The scene is like you imagine. Houses painted in varying shades of yellow, pink and salmon, green shutters and cobblestone streets. We did two loops of old town making our decision of where to eat based on who was open Sunday and had space outside for two spontaneous diners. I had gnocchi with prawns that seemed to be 90% head and legs and John got branzino which the waitress filleted tableside.

After our meal we walked to a wine bar where I got a lemon spritz, 3 parts prosecco and 1 part limoncello. They grow lemons in these parts so how could I resist? While we were there, the annual parade of drunk, singing fisherman celebrating the lemon harvest stopped to serenade us. Not sure if that's *exactly* what was going on but the proprietor said it was fisherman, gave them a bottle of wine and danced with them. They were wearing lemon peels on their glasses and took their singing to the church piazza where it turned into a giant dance party, which we joined for awhile. What a treat!

This morning we got coffee in Monterosso then caught the ferry to Vernazza. Hoo boy, what a zoo! There were multiple tour groups following their respective guides around, people spilling out of every trinket and gelato shop and the rocky beach full of swimmers. Also, tons of people had trekking poles here. Mostly folded up because they had finished trekking in to town but whatever, I felt seen.

We walked around town, made some choices - based on crazy steep staircases - to stay near the water and beat the crowd to an outside table for lunch. I had Tarife (a pasta typical for the area) with pesto. It was a huge bowl but so delicious I ate it all. John took a quick dip in the sea and we got on the ferry to Riomaggiore.

The southernmost, and steepest, of the towns, by the time we arrived we realized we needed to find a cab and get to the station for our train to Florence. After 10 min of walking up hill and realizing we'd never find a place to catch a cab, we hobbled (okay I hobbled) to the tiny train station to get a train to the bigger station. That's why it only gets half credit. With only 3 min to transfer platforms, I'm happy to say we caught our train to Florence. No running necessary.

Though the pictures of Cinque Terre may not do it justice, when I get off this train and back "home" to Florence and the speedy wifi I'll post some.

Vernazza

Singing fishermen and their lemon glasses.

Old town Monterosso.

One section of the Monterosso beach scene.

Waiting for the ferry to Vernazza.

Goodbye Monterosso.

Hello Vernazza.

Hard pass.

Tarife with pesto and pasta with walnut cream sauce.

Pace, Italia, EU

Pit Stop in Pisa

I'm on a train heading to Monterosso, one of the five cities in the famed Cinque Terre. It's my 6th train of the trip and the first time anyone checked my ticket. Glad I keep buying them.

After a delayed departure from Florence we arrived at the Stazione Pisa Centrale where me, John and 80% of the people on the train got off. While my knee is improving, we opted to take a taxi to the Field of Miracles rather than walk 25 min.

Once again, I'm walking past rows of souvenir vendors to what appears to be an entrance and BAM! That's the Leaning Tower of Pisa leaning right in front of us. It's a bit surreal to see iconic structures like this, the Taj Mahal or the Pyramids of Giza in person and I feel lucky to have done so.

Back to Pisa... of course we joined the game of lining up our photos so it looks like we're holding the tower up. How could we not?

We went in to the Duomo to have a look and heard some music, which filled up the cavernous space. Then it was people watching and snacks until it was time to head back to the train. We had enough time to walk to a giant Keith Haring mural he painted in Pisa in 1989. Unexpectedly wonderful.

We're in Cinque Terre tonight and tomorrow and you know you will hear all about it. Fortunately for you, the internet in Monterosso is pretty slow so I will not upload pictures of the tower from every possible angle and distance. 

It doesn't look like it's leaning 5 degrees from here.

The tower and the Duomo.

Keith Haring mural near the Pisa train station.

It is possible to take an old school selfie too.