Italy - Day Two

March 25th - Florence

I woke up with about 7 and a half hours of sleep, much more well rested than the day before, and after a quick breakfast, walked with Jo to the train station to catch the train to Florence. We bought our tickets and caught the 9:30 a.m. train to arrive at about 10:30, 11:00 a.m. in Florence. The train ride was one of my favorite parts of the entire venture. The view is spectacular, the seats are quite comfortable, and the fare was quite inexpensive, at least in the grand scheme of costs. We talked a great deal during the ride and I took lots of photographs with my camera. I just loved being able to immerse myself inside Italy, really see the villas, the beautiful landscape, the people going about their everyday businesses. Quite amazing, really.

Once we arrived in Florence (at the right station because we nearly got off at the wrong one but Jo had better instincts, mind you), we took a while finding a cafe to sit down and plan our day in the city. After some meandering, mostly in part to Florence's crazy roads and streets, we finally sat down at a nice cafe and figured out what we would be doing for the majority of the day. Kristin and Brittani were to arrive in about an hour and we were to meet them at the train station. We planned out where the Galleria del Academia was so that we would see Michaelangelo's David and then left the rest of the plan moderately open for the other girls to help us decide. Jo and I finished our drinks and went on our way to the train station, where we met Kristin and Brittani (because Jo spotted them). We decided for lunch first, and headed on our way to find a place to eat.

Kristin and Brittani found a place with pizza for 5 euros, which makes sense given the size of the pizza (huge!!). Jo and I wanted to search about, however, so we continued walking and told the girls we'd see them a bit later. We went on walking, found a grocery shop and a small deli. I went inside the small deli, bought a sandwich (which was quite good) and had some local people point at my Oxford sweatshirt. We came outside and ate in this beautiful, quaint little park at the end of the block. It was quite fantastic really. I then went back and talked to the girls, and again went back to the park, wrote a little bit in my journal, and when everyone finished lunch, we went onwards towards the gallery. It was a bit frustrating, truthfully, finding the place, and it didn't help that Florence was, by far, one of the most confusing places I've ever been to. Alas we found the gallery and went inside.

Michaelangelo's David is magnificent. Really quite remarkable, and by far, the most brilliantly done sculpture ever known to man. It was completely worth the trip to stare at the statue in person. There is nothing like it, really. And the fact that it has been kept so well in-tact... it's quite a blessing. I spent some time just writing about the details that Michaelangelo took notice of in his masterpiece. That was really one of two main highlights of the day. We spent quite some time in the museum, looked at some other paintings and I checked out the music museum section with Jo. Afterwards, we walked to the Duomo, which is a brilliant cathedral that is just striking in its grand demeanor. We took lots of pictures, got some gelato (which was not worth that 2 euro or so price), and continued walking in hopes of finding this particular restaurant said to have a fantastic 3-course meal with drinks for 10-11 euros per person.

The search for the restaurant, very bluntly put, was quite a disaster with the four of us. Kristin and Brittani's main concern was to go to the train station and away from the "shady area". Jo and I wanted to keep searching for the restaurant. Eventually, after quite some frustrating bouts and arguments (specifically Jo and I were losing it...) we decided to separate for dinner.

Jo and I, quite flustered by this point, went on trying to find the restaurant, and at first we were still unsuccessful, but finally upon asking people, we found the place!!! (YAY!!!!!!!!!! After so many hours and that type of frustration, you'd be jumping with joy as well). We had quite a brilliant supper, and all for 11 euros :) I was quite happy and we toasted in celebration.

After supper, we decided to walk straight back to the train station and wait for our train there. Luckily, our train was already in place and we could wait for the train to depart while sitting within its cabins. We sat on the train and talked most of the way back. We got back to Pisa, where things seemed more familiar, and were very much relieved to be back in our hotel.

Little did I know, I had quite a restless night ahead of me...