Italy: Tuscany

I got into Florence from Cinque Terre and immediately took a liking to the city.  It is small, yet FULL of history and monumental sites and parks.  I was absolutely blown away by Michaelangelo's David, which honestly I had not expected much other than just another statue.  When I walked around the corner however, of that museum and swa the enormous figure reining over the foyer I was speechless, my mouth dropped wide opena nd I was frozen for a few moments as I began to take it all in.  The size, immaculate detail, the beauty, and power the statue carries is truly incredible! 

I saw the city with some really fun and rather well-educated brothers from Florida.  They ended up being my personal tour guides for a day or so. We had so many laughs exploring the city, watching sunsets over Florence, and talking life and travel.  We ate some solid Italian grub at a nice restaurant but perhaps more immpresive was the dinner we had on the bridge one night at sunset:  fresh pesto, mozzaella, truffle olive oil, salad, baguettes, and Chianti wine.  All from the market, cheap and delicious!

I spent my last day doing a Tour of Tuscany.  We visited Sienna, ate in a country-side restaurant overlooking vineyards, olive groves, and sunflower fields, explored a walled-in Medeival town, ate the best gelato of the trip, and visited a winery where we tasted the most amazing Chianti wines, olive oils, and balsamic vinegars. 

Really, could lunch get any better than this?  Gnocchi with a gonrgonzola cream sauce and arugula, 3 levels of aged parmisiano with honey, and a house white.





Another favorite thing




Walkway in Florence





Il Duomo fantastico! ...Florence




You can't go to Italy without having Grappa, made from the skins of the grapes, a strong liquor that will make the hair on your arms raise straight up to the sky.  Personally, I am not a fan, but the Italian's seem to like it.




Tuscany is FULL of amazing products





Baptistery (front), and Florence Cathedral (Duomo) (back)



The street artists in Florence were truly incredible, probably the best I had seen on my trip.  My favorite were the watercolor pieces.  I love the play with colors!





Bartolomeo Ammanati's Fountain of Neptune in the Piazza della Signoria, Florence




David replica, outside Uffizi Museum, Florence





sorry, I couldn't help it! 





One down the line of the many Italian Renaissance influencers lining the Uffizi Museum, Florence 



River Arno, Florence





Ponte Vecchio, Florence





A few pictures from the sunset over Florence, from Michaelangelo Plaza





Waiting in line for the Academia in 85 degree humidity...I needed a Fanta!




Ravioli with spinach and parmesan and Ragu sauce




Plaza in Sienna, on a Tour of Tuscany





Piazza del Campo, site of the huge annual horse race event, Sienna





I had to try one of each!





Drum march in Sienna





Capitoline Wolf, look it up, interesting story





Cathedral of Sienna





Church of San Domenico, Sienna





Entrance to the Torture Museum, displaying modes of torture used during Medieval times





More amazing street musicians, this was a lively jazz group who really got ya movin'!




This was the BEST gelato I had all trip...Pink Grapefruit Sparkling Wine & Blackberry Lavender





A little view of Tuscany





What would a tour of Tuscany be without wine, olive oil, and balsamic tasting??!!




A lesson from the experts in wine tasting. 





Chianti, balsamic, and truffle infused olive oil





These geese tried to attack me!



Goodbye Florence & Tuscany...onto the enchanted city of Venice!