Florence aka Firenze

 Here's some more pix from our incredible trip! Hope you're not too bored, I tried to make some interesting shots so they wouldn't be boring!!!!!  On our first day (sorry, I wrote out of order!), we decided to go to Florence (FIRENZE ). We were  pumped about going !** *Have I mentioned Don was our EXPERT driver the whole trip????? We rented a car in Rome and drove it to Poggibonsi (more on that later!)!. He drove us and Terry (and the GPS!) navigated!!!! He did GREAT driving with all those FOOL Italian drivers!!!!!!!***** Anyway, back to our story--  we got a parking place, finally, outside the big PALAZZOS . That's what is weird about Florence. Everything is big huge SQUARES. PIAZZAS.  PALAZZOS.With HUGE buildings , statues, cathedrals, stores, more stores, more cathedrals. The biggest is the DUOMO---Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. We wanted to go inside, but the tours cost and we decided not to and to walk around instead. Anyway, we started off by , doing what we did best: EATING!!!! We found this little Italian ristorante and just walked in. GOOD CHOICE. Probably one of the best meals we had the entire trip! I was always so full I usually would just order Brushetta and wine! I love love love brushetta. Terry tried lots of different dishes and so did Yvette and Don! I was sort of a wimp. HA!  Of course I ate pasta LOTS of times! Anyway, we ate and then I wanted to find the PRADA store! It took HOURS of going down the wrong side streets, etc!Only to find that the purses there were MORE EXPENSIVE than HOME!!!! Instead, we found a great (one of many!), leather stores where I got the girls purses. BEAUTIFUL things and oh, the smell of that store!!! Love the smell of leather!!!!! After purchasing our purses, etc., we just walked around and were quite DISAPPOINTED with the FLorence we saw!!! We all agreed we were very disappointed and thought it would be so much more ! Yvette and I wonder often if we missed some sights along the way. I'm sure we did, but what we saw, we weren't that impressed with. TONS of people!!!!! The Duomo was gorgeous as were all the buildings, but it was a lot of walking around and around and all over the place!!!! We were glad when we were heading back to our incredible TUSCANY COTTAGE in Poggibonsi. We LOVED our little chalet. More on that next blog....Check out Florence!