Big hands does not equal you know what...

DAY 16

Off to Florence we go! On our way to Florence we basically backtracked a bit the way we came into Rome. We made our usual coffee/bathroom break. This one had free bathrooms and no toilet seats. However, this was the first place this entire trip that finally had a zero calorie beverage besides Diet Coke and water. They had Powerade Zero! I was so excited to see it that I bought two. Apparently zero calorie juices don't exist here and it's been pretty irritating for me. Sometimes I just want something besides water (Like Vitamin Water Zero) to drink and I hate drinking my calories (unless its alcohol. Duh). On a trip like this too, where I am eating so much, I like to save any calories I can. So basically, this was a treat. 

From the comfort stop, it was about another hour to Florence and we were ready to start the day. When we got to our drop off point, Santa Croce Basilica, we were introduced to some local specialities. Since Florence is known for its gold and its leather, we got orientations on both of them at two local stores. Similar to Rome, Florence also has a lot of work by Michelangelo. Dude got around! This afternoon we had three hours of free time to do our own thing. Of course I wanted to explore and sight see on my own. I had my map and list of places I wanted to see so I went in my merry way. Florence isn't a very big city so I didn't have too much ground to cover or even that many places to see. But first things first, I had to grab lunch. I once again didn't want to waste time at a sit down place so I grabbed a tomato and mozzarella sandwich on focaccia and ate it on the go. 

In my free time today I saw the following places:

    - Piazza Signoria (located here is the fake version of Michelangelo's David. I took a pic here since you aren't allowed to take pics of the real deal.)

    - Ponte Vecchio (very old bridge)

    - The Cathedral/Duoma (holy crap this church has a gorgeous, intricate facade.)

    - Gates of Paradise 

It doesn't seem like I saw much in this long span of time, but I was walking around pretty much the entire time. I actually came back to these places at very different times along my explorations and got different viewpoints of them. Because I was just kind of wandering with no real direction I passed them again unintentionally, but saw numerous other piazzas and shops as well. Either Florence doesn't have as many attractions as the other places we've been or I missed a lot. Or I passed places and just didn't realize what they were. Either way, I covered a lot of ground once again. I also treated myself to some gelato (half strawberry, half cantaloupe) along the way. I mean, there is a heat wave here so I need to keep cool somehow. Obvs. At 3:30 I had to meet up with the group for a walking tour of the city and then a tour of the Galleria Del Academia to see the real David statue. 

Because I had done so much during my own time, the walking tour was slightly boring. We went to all the places I had already seen. I was hot, tired, and a bit dehydrated at that point, but really wanted to go to the museum so just kept on truckin'. I did however ask the guide about the real important stuff about Florence, such as where the Jersey Shore peeps lived when they did their season in Italy. I mean, I had to know. Obviously. She told me where it was (and even showed me on the map!), where they worked and how her friend led them on a tour. I may or may not go check out their place tomorrow. Time permitting. It just happens to be an old palace, so technically, it's historic in the city. Only the best for Snooks and company. (I now want to go back and watch that season now that I am familiar with the city of Florence.) 

Finally we reached the Galleria del Academia and bonus, we didn't have to wait in line again. Such a treat. At the museum we saw the famed David statue. It was pretty awesome to see it in person. It sucks that taking photos him is not permitted. I saw some people sneak them, but I didn't have the balls to. David is really large and a pretty incredible work of art. After all, he is the perfect man. He has enormous hands, pretty large feet but a really small wiener. Yup, I went there. Of course my eyes darted there almost immediately. I guess big hands really just do indicate big gloves. Boom! We walked around a bit more in the museum and then headed back to the hotel before our dinner at 7:30. I showered, hand washed some clothes, and relaxed. This hotel actually had an ice machine, the first since London and yet another bidet. My room also had a balcony which was a nice treat. 

We had a three course Italian meal tonight. It started with bruschetta, then there was a delicious pasta dish, followed by the main dish of veal with potatoes, and finally a panna cotta for dessert. All in all it was okay. Not the best, but not the worst meal. From there I just took it easy for the night because we have a big day in Tuscany tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to being out in the country again. The last time we were not in a city was back in Volendam, Holland. I'm sure the air will be cleaner and fresher tomorrow and the vibe more chill. I can't wait.