Lemon Trees (Florence)

This city seems more relaxed than Rome was. Probably because we didn't know as much history about the landmarks here as we did in Rome. When we figured out the train system, and found our way to our hostel, we discovered the most wonderful place to rest our head. Especially in comparison to the last place we stayed, this hostel seems more like a hotel (except for its extrodinarily low price) and I know that I'm clean after showering. There is even a pool and sauna!! I noticed on facebook that many Devonians are still complaining about the weather...with mornings at -5, and the possibility of snow. I just figured I should let you know that the temperature here is about 26 degrees...and that isn't nearly as hot as it could be. We still see people in sweaters and pants!

So most days we've simply wandered around, found what we found, saw what we saw. The highlight of this city? Gelato. Tons and tons of gelato. There are NO WORDS to describe my intense love for gelato. I don't know if I will ever be able to eat ice cream again! Winning combinations include hazelnut & strawberry, and pineapple & coconut (pina colada!)

Our second day started off with an all you can eat buffet for breakfast - a huge step up from the croissant and juice we received at the last hostel. Then we met in the common room for a Open Market Tour. This tour included a wine & cheese tasting portion - the part that caught our eyes. I feel so cultured!!! I would love to find a wine that I actually enjoy - that way I could order a glass of wine with dinner instead of the oh-so-boring Coca-Cola. Yes, Coca-Cola in Europe. We also see McDonalds everywhere - but thats a different story. And it would be so cool to be able to bring home an Italian bottle of wine - or maybe one from France.

Still working on finding a pair of Italian shoes. So far, everytime I find a pair I fall in love with, they don't have my size. I've noticed that even in Canada. I am the smallest size that an adult shoe store will carry... and sometimes they don't even carry my size! Not everyone is 5'6" so would they PLEASE make more shoes in my size?

Later we went to the Accademia Gallery and saw the original David by Michaelangelo. We were blown away by the detailing! His hands and feet looked real, with knuckles and toenails! Also, his arm was flexed and you could see the veins! Incredible! He was also very naked...but we won't go there. :) Later we walked up the other side of the river to Michaelangelo's Piazza, where we got a panoramic view of Florence. Breathtaking! This city is so beautiful! It is situated in a valley, so it is competely surrounded by the greenest trees and bushes I have ever seen. On the way back down we found a quaint little rose garden. We found our artsy side and took some pretty flower pictures. Also in this rose garden, were lemon trees. I didn't know what lemon trees looked like - but now I do - and they are cool! I wish they had been ripe so that I could pick one off its branches. We wandered our way back to the train station where we boarded a bus for a nearby hillside town for supper. Another gorgeous view, and some fabulous pasta.

We finished each day off with a swim in the very cold pool -we're estimating about 25 degrees - and a warm up in the sauna. (So the pool felt good after sweating bullets in the sauna!)

Niki is my hero at the moment, as she managed to fix the comments feed on my blog. So feel free to comment on anything and everything...even the posts from way back! I'm going to try and post a bunch of pics from each city on facebook in the next few days, so check that out as well!