Thursday, September 13, 2012

Museum Day in Florence

So Arne was not able to join me for this breakfast. The coolest part was the cappuccino machine!
But I snuck him some juice and toast for later and asked the concierge where to get some sports drink like Gatorade. They told me to ask a street vendor and I found some Powerade.

Then after making sure he was ok, I sadly left him at the hotel. I had my reserved tickets for the Uffizi Gallery to get in line for. I got in the ticket holder line, then got in the entrance line. Both long lines even with my reservations. I chatted with Americans in line. There I saw all the famous paintings using my Rick Steves guide on my ipod. I felt like such a tourist! Then I got some photos of the Ponte de Vecchio bridge from inside the gallery.


Some views taken from the museum cafe, where I bought a panini to go (The first of 3 for the day!)



Off I went to go walk across the Ponte de Vecchio Bridge, just to say I walked it! Nothing worthwhile to buy there. Just crowds! Some more bridge views.


Back to the hotel to check on Arne and regroup before heading out for my next site, The Accademia to see the David. This was hard to see without having Arne with me. :(
I got a bit lost on the way and kept checking my map. I turned on this one street:
 It didn't look like much, and I was concerned about being lost. I turned and looked at the store next to me. To my surprise, it was Campolmi Roberto Filati yarn shop! How comforting to find this yarn shop by accident, though I had looked for it online prior to our trip! Nothing to make my heart happier and more at home, than a wall full of yarn! Of course I had to go right in!
I found 3 skeins of merino sport weight in 3 different colors for 2 euros each in a hurry!
Then I asked for directions to the Accademia! I was not too far off! I found the street, which looked like just an every day street with alot of people on it, which ended up being the Accademia. I asked around to see which line to get in. After making it in, with my yarn bag and through security, I got my ipod ready again and did the Rick Steves thing through the museum. I found out later I was not supposed to take this shot here:


I was really only supposed to be able to take this shot here at the cafe, of the ugly David:


After leaving I needed another GROM's gelato ....


And to set my bag up on the counter to admire my purchase and muse over my stumbling upon the yarn shop...

I needed a cappuccino too and took it at the counter standing up, like a true Italian. Though I had to ask when to pay, which is after you finish it. And of course another panini to go...


Back at the hotel I set up this artsy shot with my newfound yarn purchase.

Later that evening, when I went out, yet again to get my third panini of the day, this time for dinner,(just couldn't bear going to eat out again without Arne),I succumbed to the street vendor's wares and got a scarf finally.

Thankfully, Arne is better and will make our flight tomorrow. And now, we put in the ear plugs for our night long concert in the piazza. I looked at this window alot and quietly "willed" them to stop singing a few times. Then I gave up when they started singing "Happy Birthday" in English to the guests below and pretended they were singing to me. "Happy Birthday, dear Jeannine"....:


Goodnight, Florence!

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