Day 02... Art Walk on the Streets of Florence

Artists flood the streets in Florence to show and sell their work. This, along with everything else to see, is almost sensory overload, but all pleasing to the eyes, particularly when there is some great live classical music playing in the background.

Day 02... A little street music with Graffiti

This gentleman was serenading passersby across the street from the “David” Museum. Note the abundant graffiti behind him. There is A LOT of graffiti in Italy. Even the word, graffiti is an Italian word (which we were told, means drawings on walls). Yup!

Day 02 A visit to the Academia Museum

No visit to Florence (Firenze) is complete without a visit to see THE David Statue which is housed in its own museum, the Academia Museum. Quite spectacular, so much so, you can see the veins in the hands carved in marble. If I remember correctly, Michaelangelo was about 24-26 at the time he did this, and even hand-selected the marble slab himself. There is a replica in the plaza, but that doesn't do justice to the real thing.

Day 02... An afternoon/evening tour in Florence

We had some of THE best tour guides on the entire trip, including Ann Reavis, a lawyer from the Bay area who is taking refuge in Florence as an ex-pat. We saw things and heard about historical aspects of Florence that even people who live there don't even know about. Thanks, Ann~!

Day 03... Classic Italian Restaurant.... Yum!

It's true! Everywhere you go in Florence seems like something you have seen in a movie, whether it was with Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant or Diane Lane.... even the dogs in Lady and The Tramp... with the noodles and meatballs... Really! This is one of my favorite photos (all that is missing is a bike up against the wall). The food is great in Florence and although I have met some Americans who said they couldn't find a place to eat pasta (don't you believe it!), I could have eaten pasta there nearly every night. Just ask somebody.... they will surely direct you to the best dish in town.

Day 03 Time to sit and Chat

These guys had just come out of church one evening in Pienza. It was one of many great photo ops in Tuscany. In fact, everywhere you go, it seems that every street, every cafe, every person, everything is a scene from a movie that you have seen. Simply wonderful.

Day 04 Incredible food in Tuscany

One night we ate at the most amazing restaurant where we not only received an informal lecture on the “slow food movement,” but actually got a chance to participate in a slow food dinner celebration. Pictured here is the first of several courses served to us at Roberto's Taverna in Montisi. Thanks Roberto!