So another early morning and breakfast at the sound of music hostel is just ok. Hard roll butter coffee and juice. Megar compaired to the lavish spread of atrani. It's included in the cost of the rooms so I can't complain, with food consumed and clean clothes on our backs we set out to hit the museums....with no reservations...... This was our first mistake. We head first to the academia to see the david. The no reservations line was long, about an hour. But not horrible. The rain was waining above anmd we were in an alcove that provided protection.
Inside we walked past many interesting pieces. No cameras allowed so I have no proof I actually saw anything but when you come to the david it is amazing. The shear porportions of the statue are awesome. I've known it was a 12 ft tall piece but beautifuly lit and in the center of the muse......... Its beautiful. I know what your thinking its pretty because he's naked but its way more than that. (Please feel free to insert any funny penis jokes about size when approate). The hands and feet of this statue are massive. I think bigger hands than a human head. And the detail is what you really see in person. His hands have veins and knuckles. I'm struck by the idea that the david and many of the statues carved and put in the various gyms in rome they were the first supermodels. Ideal forms of the human figure that people would strive to recreate in themselves. And it is perfection indead. Its insane how gifted and skilled you would be to carve out the muscles to show such tension and extension in a slight movement.
I hated not being able to photograph this.
We finished this muse and went searching for jessies sisters cooking school. After walking up and down the streets asking anyone we knew we gave up with out success. We were right by the prescious stones muse so for 2 euro we took a cance. It was no photos as well but very interesting. Marble pictures and polished stones. Carved rocks all fill this place. Its no david but and interesting place none the less.
With a potential wait at the uffizzi gallery that houses the venus de milo we headed across town. 3 hour wait for the gallery. But we surmised that was the max wait time. So let's do it its in every guide and travel book how coukd we not. After 2 hours in the rain amd cold we were passed the point oif no return. Every time the line moved we were sure we were almost in. Once we got to 3 hours we had to stay to make it in. 3 1/2 hrs amd we we flooding towards the rope and git stopped at us. We stood there lamost in tears I could not help it. Paired with the freezing tempature and down pour of rain it was miserable conditions. I could not feel my hands and my back was aching. To keep from sceeaming and from eating my hand I was so hungry I ate a pack of gum. Gross I know but it was all I had. I was desperate and not leaving the line for anything. 20 minuteslater we were finally ushered in....... To security.
I took with me only my coat my hat camera and passport and money. No bag no metal. Guess who had to keep walking though the metal detector? Me, over anmd over again. I don't know what was setting it off and finally he could see I had nothing on me, he let me thriugh. We wisked to the ticked booth got our pass and ran toi the next room........ To wait some more. I was really done now. How much coukld they torture us. It was almost 4 and we had not eaten anthing beside the hard roll for breakfast and for me a pack of gum and now waiting for en eternity. Its taught me one thing in the future all museum truips will be checked before hand incase so a whole day is not bwaisted waiting.
The venus is beautiful and to be so gifted to paint something like that was amazing.
We walked through the rest of the rooms and again no cameras allowed but we took it all in.
When we finally left the muse we consulted our guide book for eating advice after the day befores horrible excursion. We found a place called 'ino where they serve a sandwich made to order with a glass of house wine. Even if we had not been starving we would have loved it. The bread the cheese the salimi........no veggies here either though. We devoured our food and sat to enjoy being in a warm dry place.
Refreshed we set out to the town center. The other muse had closed at 5 so it was strolling anmd shopping. I have yet to buy one thing mostly because its expensive and we have had no time. We walked the square and jessi found a leather store she just "had to check out". Jessie is an easy mark fir a salesman let me telll you. She tried on 3 jackets and while I admit they are cute they were very very exopensive. On sale the cheapest one was 480 euro... Meaning at least 600 US. But she was sold. They charmed her and showed her pictures of the celebs who owned the jacket. She was in. They even told her they would adjust the sleeves and have it ready in 1 hour. she paid and was elated. The sales man seemed to feel bad I was not buying anything. Well 400 euro jacket was not on my lists. What did I want? Boots I said casually knowing they did not sell shoes and I woud not feel oprewssured into buying something.
He whipped out a small map and told me just where to go for boots. I could geta great pair at such and such and also we should go dine at this restaurant. Nie suggestions but when your trying to stick to 50euros a day for hotel and food there is niot lots of wiggle room. Oside note. Jessies purchase means she wants to eat a power bar a jerky for dinner every night. I guess I'm dining alone in italy...sigh....
So we leave the shop with their list of recommendations and head out to wait for the jacket to be taylored. Jessie was eager to have m$e find the boot shopp and find boots. Every corner she asked me oohh how about those wait look at those. Little does she know I kept us walking purposly away from the boot shop beasue I would like more than 30 minutes to make that decision and...... I was not buying 400 boots. She's 21 what can I say. I stick to a 2 euro coffee and with for the time to run out on our waiting. Jessie could not contain her need to make me buy something. Every corner was a suggestion. We she suffering buyer guilt after spending so much? Tbd I suppose. The jacket would be ready soon and we head back to the shop. They give us each a glass of wine as the jacket was being brought from the tailor. We chat with a couple from frezno who was in there as well buying 2 beautiful jackets.
With the purchase complete we head back to our 20 a night hostel no dinner to be had and pack for the next days travels. It was raining once again and I would love one more day in florence to walk around and explore. Back to the bus where we run into sandra again. She spent the day at the movies and having a nice lunch. We chatted the whole crowded ride back and we all glad that in the dark rain to have 3 of us for the 1 mile treck to the hostel. At one point a man in a long dark coat was walking a few paces behind us. We quickened our pace and made it safely ti the hostel. And so did he. He was just one of the guests but on a dark rainy road a tall man in a black coat is not a nice thing. We grab water and some snacks for me and head to the room to pack. On the road again will be my theme song. With more chatting with the girls and jessie showing off her purchase the night flew buy. It was time to go to sleep and be ready foir another day.
Goodbye florence......I will come back someday soon.
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