Our feet hurt. Our eyes hurt. Our brains hurt. But we aren't done yet!!
We got up early this morning, again, to make it to the Uffizi Gallery before it opened so we could join the fabled line and wait the predicted couple of hours just to get in. Yes, yes! We should have booked our tickets online but a week ago they were all gone! The advice we received was just turn up, see what the line is like and if it's 'too long' find a ticket booth in one of the streets and try to buy them there. Well, we rocked up just after 8am, the Gallery opened at 8.15am and by 8.30 we had reserved tickets for 9.30, left and had some breakfast, returned at the allocated time and walked in the door! A breeze! Don't believe everything you read on TripAdvisor!
So the Uffizi? It would have been so worth waiting a couple of hours if we had to. It was amazing - da Vinci, Michelangelo, Carravaggio, Rubens, Rembrandt, Giotto, Raphael, Botticelli, our Spanish mates El Greco and Velazquez (said with a lisp like the Spanish) etc, etc, etc!!! We had a very enjoyable, but tiring, five hours.
The Uffizi Gallery, after the arches on the left.
After a quick lunch, a quick downpour of rain and a quick dash to shelter - we headed for the Galleria dell Academia. This gallery used to be an art school but now houses amazing paintings and sculptures, including the very tall David! Yes, THE David by Michelangelo!
The Piazza della Signoria. Have included this as there is a replica of David on the far right in front of the Palazzo Vecchio (we weren't allowed to take a picture of the original).
We are enjoying Florence and in hindsight should have spent more time here, we still have until mid-afternoon tomorrow so there is lots more to fit in. We haven't been to a church yet!
Ponte Vecchio - this is about a two minute stroll from our Hotel! Did you know vecchio means old? We had to google it!
So, after a star studded day we are looking forward to laying our heads on our pillows and having a sleep in - 'til at least 8.00am!
Footnote - thanks for your comments, we now feel missed and know you are enjoying our blog. And no! This will not become a daily ritual of commenting on your comments as we are flat out getting the blog done before we fall into bed each night. It's a hard life you know!! We do enjoy reading your thoughts and conversations though, even the slightly 'odd' ones!
Andrew, please give Theresa a hug for me and tell her I'm thinking of her. Jo-Anne
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Scoooored!!!!! Got a comment!! yay!!
ReplyDeleteNow I feel loved. Or did you just not want a blow by blow run down of the impending election? No don't answer that. If you only answer one more question while you're away, don't waste it on that one.
Is it just me, or are other home viewers disappointed that the spam robot thingy isn't giving photos of letterboxes or house numbers any more. I liked to imagine where the house was and who lived there. was sure my house would come up eventually. Wouldn't it have been spooky if Jo or Collettes letterbox numbers came up .... now there are just plain letters. Can do letters playing scrabble.
Speaking of scrabble, Scoooored! Triple point score!!! Poked the monkey with a stick. And she answered me. Yay!
Still wondering who the new patient in the ward is. Do tell us.
Very meek photo of David. Would have been more anatomically correct from closer than 100 meters. Still blushing over the Freudian publishing of the phallic chimneys I suppose.
Seeing you are unashamedly having way too much fun to talk to me, song for the day is Simon and Garfunkel's Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover.
Did you notice at Michelangelo's tomb there were also statues of his three vecchio aunts? We all need them! I think this was in the Basilica di Santa Croce. Have you been to all the leather shops? There are lots in Florence. You could stay there longer on your next trip. David and Neptune make quite a statement overlooking the piazza. Cheers FOA
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