Firenze - Florence

February 2nd -3rd, 2013

Saturday morning I set off to Florence. It was raining all day but with my rain coat, umbrella (I bargained for £2), and rain protected backpack, I was set to go! I arrived in Florence and began the hunt of a place to stay and to ditch my bag so I could check out the city. I met some American girls that suggested the Florence youth hostile. It was reasonable and right in the center of the city, perfect! The family that owned it spoke English pretty well and were super nice and helpful. I got my own room, but had a bathroom and a kitchen that I shared with two other girls. After settling in I set out to look around at the shops before going to mass. The shops, oh my gosh, the shopping!! A girl could go broke, everything is adorable and great deals, so fun! I wanted to go to mass at the old Duomo (Santa Maria del Fiore), which is Florence's Cathedral. They had mass in ENGLISH, but they ended up canceling the English mass, which was a bummer. That is one thing I miss about America, hearing mass in English verse Italian. I ended up going to prayers at the church across the street at 5 pm and mass afterwards, which was still beautiful! After church it was still raining off and on so I went shopping again and went to the market.

Sunday morning I checked out of the hostile and started exploring Florence some more. Happy 25th Birthday to TJ, (shout out) was thinking about you and hope you had the best birthday!! Sunday was a perfect day, sunny and just warm enough for a light coat. I started my day at the local part of town, across the river. The view of the river and backdrop is incredible! One of my favorite sights so far! The golden bridge was filled with shops of jewelry, everything was so beautiful. I set out to see the churches and stopped to have a cappuccino. I met a man who worked at the cafe and he gave me a low down on the town. 

I went to various places throughout the city; Signoria Square, San Lorenzo Market, Pitti Palace, Palazzo Vecchio, etc. Michelangelo and the rose garden is a must see, walking up the long flight of stairs is so worth it (by the way, walking up long flights up stairs seems to be the normal here). Its this big square platform that you can see the entire city, spectacular view... The rose garden was so pretty and peaceful, can't imagine how much more beautiful it'd be in the spring when the roses bloom! 

Thoughts on Florence (Firenze):

The city smells old and kind of an odd stench. But the beauty of it is incredible. 
People walk around the streets with a glass of wine in their hand at 10 in the morning, no big deal..  

Fashion.. people walking the streets with their trendy clothes and fur, while I'm in Puma tennies with my backpack.. such a tourist. :)

In the middle of a square, there are groups of older men playing and singing Italian music. So joyful and fun to watch. 

Every dog here is very well behaved. In the squares you see owners meeting, like in 101 Dalmatians, and their dogs playing tug a war. 

Nuns everywhere! They have the kindest smiles when they walk by, you can just feel the peace, joy, and love they have for the world.
Lindts Chocolate shops, Disney stores, Prada, Gucci, tell me what you like and they have it! 

Never ending supply of pastries and treats... dangerous! 

Beautiful historic buildings, scenic views, and churches. Such a fantastic city to see! 

Before leaving I stopped at the Loggia del Mercato Nuovo (New Market), shopped, and rubbed the famous boars nose, Porcellino. It is believed that you rub its nose for good luck and to ensure a return to Florence. :)