Rome will always be my first love, but Florence has a quaint charm that is also unique and delightful. This completely walkable city was mastered in a day and revolves around the Duomo. A large cathedral, that before the construction of St. Peters in Rome was Italy's largest basilica. It is covered in green pink and white marble (which looks much much better than it sounds) and terra cotta shingles for the dome.
I LOVE the markets here. The Centrale Mercanto is fantastico with hunks of cured prosciutto and salami...all kinds of cured meats. And the CHEESE the cheese, pecorino, Mangorno, Edamer, Swiss, smelly cheese, soft cheese, runny cheese, tangy cheese....a combination of all the above...and gracious merchants who speak softly have what seems to be endless patience with una stupida americana who butchers their language and still reverts to English in desperation. If the market centrale is like the coffee liqueur center of my new favorite pick me up, the leather market surrounding the centrale mercato is the dark, delicious cover surrounding this gem. Unni I sooo wish you were here, you would love it here ( I bought you a genuine florentine leather product so never say I don't care!) I am slightly appalled that there are so many Korean girls at my hostel, who spent the last two days going to the Prada outlet and the Mall (which is a larger outlet I gather) -_-;; Oh to leave the beauty of florence to pack into a bus that is also 90% korean to go shopping for stuff that is still overpriced not my idea of a good time. Yet, there are many things that bring people together....including a deep-seated love of Prada...That is unless you are both aiming for the "last one" ticket item....who needs the bloodbath?
Today I hoofed it upto the Piazzale Michaelangelo and the church above to listen to a Gregorian Chant and see spetacular views of the city. Florence, is a lovely city, and I am still holding out hope that I will get to try lamprodotto tomorrow ^^.
The more I stay in Italy, and meet wonderful women and see the wonderful sites I wish I was here with my family and my sisters who would have loved it.
