It's Wednesday and we're in Florence today. We took the morning off to recover from our long day in Cinque Terre yesterday so there was laundry to do and leather jackets to purchase (you'll see). We had a rain and thunder shower about noon so we decided to sit it out in the restaurant next door - "Ernie & Pete's" (really Enzio & Piero's). Great food and good fellowship. As the rain slackened we took off for an extensive walk around Florence. Starting at the train station we checked out he underground shopping mall there and emerged at Santa Maria Novella Church. Then we made a visit to the historic S.M.N. Perfumery where monks started making salves, creams, medicines, etc. back in the 14th century. Today it is a very elegant retail venue with all sorts of wonderful products still in the old monastery building. Walking on, we found Dante's neighborhood and the old Badia church.
The church was established about 960 a.d. Next to it was the Bargello - the old city jail now a sculpture museum. Onward to Santa Croce church and the leather school there with a stop to visit Pinocchio who was "born" right here in Florence. At the leather school we saw artisans crafting leather goods and selling them. The school was started after WWII to give orphan boys a chance to learn a trade. We ended the day in our courtyard with another fun "wine down". Tomorrow's another good day in Tuscany so come back to see what we're up to . . .
Click here to see all the photos we made as we wandered around Florence today: https://plus.google.com/photos/106242844572593515289/albums/6197970382250395409/6197970532101436226?pid=6197970532101436226&oid=106242844572593515289
The church was established about 960 a.d. Next to it was the Bargello - the old city jail now a sculpture museum. Onward to Santa Croce church and the leather school there with a stop to visit Pinocchio who was "born" right here in Florence. At the leather school we saw artisans crafting leather goods and selling them. The school was started after WWII to give orphan boys a chance to learn a trade. We ended the day in our courtyard with another fun "wine down". Tomorrow's another good day in Tuscany so come back to see what we're up to . . .
Click here to see all the photos we made as we wandered around Florence today: https://plus.google.com/photos/106242844572593515289/albums/6197970382250395409/6197970532101436226?pid=6197970532101436226&oid=106242844572593515289
