Arriving in Florence

The train from Rome terminal had us arriving in late the afternoon, we made our way to the hotel reasonably easy, dropped our bags off and hit the pavement. The long daylight hours in Italy gave us four or so hours to stay within the city walls and explore piazzas, churches and monuments.

Just around the corner from the train terminal is the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella we spent a short time wandering around the plaza before heading to the Florence Cathedral, we were both awe struck, this was a masterpiece. As I closely viewed the stonework, I noticed there was no mortar between each piece, they had been finely carved and precisely placed using mass and shape to hold the structure together. I had seen this Cathedral before but it had really escaped my mind, it was all new for me again too.

Wandering the streets, Noriko wanted a drink and a beer, I left her doing that to take a look at the Hospital of Nouvela before finding her again to wander up to the University of Florence. A sound stage had been set up, most of the university was obscured - oh well.

Back to the hotel, on the way some vino, olives and bread sitting in the last of the sun. Our courtyard was small and quaint, this was a busy afternoon finishing off well, off to explore more of Florence tomorrow.