Florence
The Piazza Duomo with it's green and pink facadeThe eurostar which cost us a whooping 30 euros (damn, it's expensive) brought us to this city which is my favourite. It is small, everything is within walking distance and it is really pretty too. Our hotel was located onthis rather dodgy street, sorta like Petaling St back in KL but no, we did not run into any kind of trouble at all. We were the only occupants in the hotel at that time and man did we make loads of noise.
Our first stop was the Piazza Duomo which in my opinion looked weird from outside with its green n pink walls. Inside was even better, it was starkly bare. However, according to Lonely Planet, the Duomo is well known for its pink n green facade; which kinda skewed my impression - i have to like the exterior now.
Spent over an hour in it, and at the gift shop, the shopkeeper came up to us and told us to keep quiet when the best part was, we weren't even talking. Not to mention we just only entered the shop. The noise was from the crowd that was jostling around the whole place. !#$*. Ungrateful woman, we are bringing business to ur drabby place!
Soon after, we left and headed to Piazza Signoria where the Uffizi Museum was situated. Waited in line for about 30 minutes and then VenGee and I decided to go right up front to see if we can purchase the tickets first. Mr Right In Front of the Q told us he has been waiting in line for 3 hours. THREE HOURS?!!? and the line is less than a 100 m in length. Mental. However, we were given a choice to purchase advanced tickets at a higher price of 9 euros(normally 6 euros). If money can solve a problem, then the problem is Not a problem.
So we wondered off with our expensive Uffizi tickets(for next day entrance) and headed over to Ponte Vecchio (a really pretty bridge that had shops on it from one bank of the river to the other)
The bridges that can be seen from Ponte Vecchio
my 3rd gelati!
In my hand - Kinder Bueno and Mango flavourA rip-off of 8 euros for it
Next stop on was Piazza Dei Pitti where we bought the 11.50 euro ticket to enter the Palazzo Pitti. In utmost truth it was like any other museum and a rather boring one too.. as it had too many rooms and pictures. The gardens looked fantastic from the windows though and soon we were itching to get the heck out the the building and onto the sunny lawns.
Hiked up to the Piazza Michaelangelo to watch the sunset though the sun was hidden behind clouds - I know.. what sunset??!?
The view was still pretty thoughDinner was splendid affair but we did spend about 1 hour searching for the place. It was called Trattoria Za-Za, a place recommended by our seniors for it's Truffle Spaghetti and 40 euro for 1 kg steak. Lonely Planet did not mention it and except for scruffy directions from our seniors - 'it is near the marketplace' - we spent a pleasant time asking around for the restaurant. And I've gotta say it was a fantastic recommendation for we had both the dishes above and also a ravioli with spinach and walnut sauce which was mamma-mia!
We then moved off to our next stop which brings me to: my 4th gelati!
We then moved off to our next stop which brings me to: my 4th gelati!
mine on the right - green apple and rum n raisin daniel's on the left - caramelised pears and i don't know the other flavourPisa
The famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. What do people do when they reach this monument? They take photos. and more photos. and more photos. Photos like this:
Now you know why the tower of Pisa leans. But no, I am not the only one who made it lean. A whole range of people did.
We actually spent about 1 1/2 hours in Pisa as we had to rush back to enter the Uffizi (10 euros return train ride from Florence to Pisa). My 5th gelati was in Pisa (just after the bridge, in Lonely Planet). No pictures unfortunately as we were in a terrible rush, but it was of Peach and Cookie n Cream(I think) flavour. The best ice cream so far as the Peach one had bits of peaches in it which made it really really lovely. Made the train just by the skin of our necks and reached Florence in time for our 3 pm Uffizi date.
Uffizi was pretty. That is if you get the audio guide or guide book to tell you about the important pictures to see. We saw the famous Adam and Eve painting and the Birth of Venus along with the works of Leonardo Da Vinci and Carravagio, to name a few. After Uffizi, I decided to return to Palazzo Pitti in a last bid to find my camera. Went up to the security personnel to explain my predicament (I gotta applaud Italy as they can at least understand English, not like the French/Belgians) but no one turned in my lost camera. They then directed Dan and I across the square to a gate on the opposite.
"Ask for Carabinieri" - what the...??
So we wandered across the square and gate crashed a party that was going on next to the gate. A woman came out and demanded our presence, to which we replied " We are looking for.. em.. ca..va..er..nie-ri?" (Obviously the word Carabinieri was not retained in our memory.)
"Ah, it is over there." And pointed towards a set of shut, forbidding looking gates.
We inched up to the gates and boom, it opened with another woman asking us what we wanted.
"Cava - thingy"
"Oh. Upstairs."
"Er, what is it may I ask?"
"It is the police."
"Ah. Er. I see. Ok, but thanks!" And we left double quick.
Rather fun though, asking around people just using a word that we had absolutely no idea about. Everyone should try it at least once in their lifetime.
We actually spent about 1 1/2 hours in Pisa as we had to rush back to enter the Uffizi (10 euros return train ride from Florence to Pisa). My 5th gelati was in Pisa (just after the bridge, in Lonely Planet). No pictures unfortunately as we were in a terrible rush, but it was of Peach and Cookie n Cream(I think) flavour. The best ice cream so far as the Peach one had bits of peaches in it which made it really really lovely. Made the train just by the skin of our necks and reached Florence in time for our 3 pm Uffizi date.
Uffizi was pretty. That is if you get the audio guide or guide book to tell you about the important pictures to see. We saw the famous Adam and Eve painting and the Birth of Venus along with the works of Leonardo Da Vinci and Carravagio, to name a few. After Uffizi, I decided to return to Palazzo Pitti in a last bid to find my camera. Went up to the security personnel to explain my predicament (I gotta applaud Italy as they can at least understand English, not like the French/Belgians) but no one turned in my lost camera. They then directed Dan and I across the square to a gate on the opposite.
"Ask for Carabinieri" - what the...??
So we wandered across the square and gate crashed a party that was going on next to the gate. A woman came out and demanded our presence, to which we replied " We are looking for.. em.. ca..va..er..nie-ri?" (Obviously the word Carabinieri was not retained in our memory.)
"Ah, it is over there." And pointed towards a set of shut, forbidding looking gates.
We inched up to the gates and boom, it opened with another woman asking us what we wanted.
"Cava - thingy"
"Oh. Upstairs."
"Er, what is it may I ask?"
"It is the police."
"Ah. Er. I see. Ok, but thanks!" And we left double quick.
Rather fun though, asking around people just using a word that we had absolutely no idea about. Everyone should try it at least once in their lifetime.
