Buon Natale da Firenze - 2015
First of all I wish all my friends and family around the world a very joyous holiday season in whichever manner you celebrate. Take the moment to reflect on the past year and see how we can make it better in 2016 for ourselves, our loved ones and others that we intersect with us.
I am in Firenze (Florence) with Ava for this holiday season and we are planning on heading out for a good Christmas Eve Florentine bistecca. For the uninitiated that is a huge slab of specialty beef cooked (barely) to the chefs instructions and shared amongst the table. The going price this week is approx. euro 45/kg and add that all the extras plus wine and dessert. Ouchamagoucha!! Oh well, it is a special day.
It has been 20 days since my last post. I do apologise for the delay but I really do have some good excuses...I mean reasons. Internet connection here at Pza. Torquato Tasso 17 has been very poor since our arrival and only got that sorted out on the 18th Dec. So now I have really good connection and can watch Netflix, listen to BBC and catch up on my Canadian shows thanks to Hola VPN.
What have I been up to since the last post? Well here is a break down with some snaps of the destinations.
LUCCA - Weather was incredible.
Day trip. It meant a train ride to Pisa and then the local train for the half hour ride to Lucca.
The first train was great as it was one of the newer double deck cars with comfortable seats and a quiet ride. The local train was a bone rattler.
Lucca is an incredible city. The old city is enclosed by ancient walls that have a huge promenade on top that is used as a park, jogging space and overall recreation.
I was told that during WWII this city was not bombed by either sides of the conflict. The city is preserved with very limited vehicle traffic allowed in and therefore it is a great pedestrian venue. Well worth the trip.
Now I know that some people are wondering why I am not including tons of photos of the places where I have been and giving historical background as well. To put it simply it is easier for the reader to google the interested sites and look at the web descriptions as well as the images. The images will be far better than I can provide.
Besides, I don't want to have a lawsuit from someone claiming copyright infringement.
VENEZIA / Venice
Arrived in Venezia via fast train from Florence. Only a two hour trip on the FrecciArgento treno. Super crowded going there but lots of empty seats to move about on the return.
When you arrive by train in Venezia and walk out onto the Grand Canal to catch your water bus it is just a bloody incredible first impression. I was hooked on the city from that moment.
We stayed at the Hotel Marconi, which is about 50 meters from the Rialto Bridge, and right on the water. We scored a deal on booking.com for only 49 euro/night with breakfast included. So central to everything.
We only had two days to see Venice and therefore a whole lot of walking was involved. But for those who have been to Venice there is the added luxury of no car traffic. Such a nice change from Florence where you have to dodge the drivers while keeping an eye out for sidewalk dog bombs. on the 1.5 feet usually allotted to pedestrians on the side streets.
We got into Venice before lunch, checked in and hit the pavement. As Ava had been here before I relied on her to be my guide. Probably not my wisest decision as her main goal was to stop in almost every souvenir shop and look. I am not kidding, I would be walking along, turn around to see where she is and then have to backtrack and look in the shop windows. Sometimes I was lucky and only had to go about 50 feet or so. I am now going to adopt a policy of a safe place to meet in case we get separated. That safe place will have a bartender to be sure.
Our first night ended with a nice dinner beside the Grand Canal, and even better is that the canal did not smell that bad. Can't say that about the subsequent days.
Second day was a trip to Murano, a 40 minute water bus ride to the island that is famous for their glass making. Again Ava was on a mission for something and I wandered about with the occasional look back. She asked me to be kind to her when I blog about this, but for those who have travelled with me (Liane) you know how much I really love (not) going shopping. Unless it is for shoes and then I have found this wonderful Italian leather shoe store right near the Pitti Palace and Ponte Vecchio. I have been called a shoe whore on more than one occassion.
I bought a wonderful wine cork with a glass blown top, only to have it fall off when I got it back home. Oh well, easy to fix.
Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venezia.
A must see for anyone who is into great artwork. This museum is housed in Peggy's private residence on the Grand Canal and has works from Jackson Pollock, Man Ray, Picasso and mobiles by Calder
FLORENCE - Pitti Palace / Boboli and Bardini Gardens / Florence Holiday Lights.
I will write more on these subjects in the next blog, but please enjoy the photos.
Ciao from Italy
Bruce
What have I been up to since the last post? Well here is a break down with some snaps of the destinations.
LUCCA - Weather was incredible.
Day trip. It meant a train ride to Pisa and then the local train for the half hour ride to Lucca.
 |
| Wall circling Lucca |
Lucca is an incredible city. The old city is enclosed by ancient walls that have a huge promenade on top that is used as a park, jogging space and overall recreation.
I was told that during WWII this city was not bombed by either sides of the conflict. The city is preserved with very limited vehicle traffic allowed in and therefore it is a great pedestrian venue. Well worth the trip.
 |
| Top of Lucca wall |
Besides, I don't want to have a lawsuit from someone claiming copyright infringement.
VENEZIA / Venice
When you arrive by train in Venezia and walk out onto the Grand Canal to catch your water bus it is just a bloody incredible first impression. I was hooked on the city from that moment.
 |
| View from tower in St. Marks Square |
We only had two days to see Venice and therefore a whole lot of walking was involved. But for those who have been to Venice there is the added luxury of no car traffic. Such a nice change from Florence where you have to dodge the drivers while keeping an eye out for sidewalk dog bombs. on the 1.5 feet usually allotted to pedestrians on the side streets.
We got into Venice before lunch, checked in and hit the pavement. As Ava had been here before I relied on her to be my guide. Probably not my wisest decision as her main goal was to stop in almost every souvenir shop and look. I am not kidding, I would be walking along, turn around to see where she is and then have to backtrack and look in the shop windows. Sometimes I was lucky and only had to go about 50 feet or so. I am now going to adopt a policy of a safe place to meet in case we get separated. That safe place will have a bartender to be sure.
Our first night ended with a nice dinner beside the Grand Canal, and even better is that the canal did not smell that bad. Can't say that about the subsequent days.
Second day was a trip to Murano, a 40 minute water bus ride to the island that is famous for their glass making. Again Ava was on a mission for something and I wandered about with the occasional look back. She asked me to be kind to her when I blog about this, but for those who have travelled with me (Liane) you know how much I really love (not) going shopping. Unless it is for shoes and then I have found this wonderful Italian leather shoe store right near the Pitti Palace and Ponte Vecchio. I have been called a shoe whore on more than one occassion.
I bought a wonderful wine cork with a glass blown top, only to have it fall off when I got it back home. Oh well, easy to fix.
 |
| Glass Sculpture on Murano |
Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venezia.
A must see for anyone who is into great artwork. This museum is housed in Peggy's private residence on the Grand Canal and has works from Jackson Pollock, Man Ray, Picasso and mobiles by Calder
 |
| Calder Mobile in the main foyer |
FLORENCE - Pitti Palace / Boboli and Bardini Gardens / Florence Holiday Lights.
 |
| Via Tournaboni |
I will write more on these subjects in the next blog, but please enjoy the photos.Ciao from Italy
Bruce
 |
| Tree outside Duomo in Florence |
 |
| View from Pitti Palace garden |
No comments:
Post a Comment