First Day In Italy

Well we made it safe and sound with no problems. The flight was very long. We had about an 1 1/2 hour layover in Frankfurt. Even though it was only 8:30 am Portland time, there was no way we were going to leave Germany without having a beer and brat. The wonderful waiter at the Frankfurt airport served us several sausages with two kinds of mustard, bread and beer. Pretty good vacation breakfast.


We arrived in Florence at about 1:30 pm Portland time. Got to the hotel, checked in and ventured off. We wandered over toward the Uffizi. In the courtyard, we found a little outdoor cafe for our first taste of "true" Italian wine and cheese. After a short rest, we wandered over to see the Ponte Vecchio and ended up at the Pitti Palace (in 1550, it was the main residence for the Medici family and subsequently all Florentine rulers lived here). However, instead of focusing on the inside of the Palazzo, we set our sights on the gardens. I know, you're probably thinking that we're passing up a great opportunity to see a wonderful museum, but it was about 90+ degrees outside and we couldn't stand the thought of going inside a hot museum during the late afternoon. So, we toured the Boboli and Bardini Gardens just outside the palace. Very cool! The garden overlooks the city and Tuscan landscape. We stayed as long as we could. I think they were closing the gates after us.

We wandered a bit, okay it was just across the street, and came to a wine bar for a glass of wine. Wine selection for us seems to be prsenting a little bit of a challenge. None of the labels are familiar and you can't go by price, as some of the cheaper wines are very good (and some, not so good!) We all settled on a recommendation by the server (it turned out to be a very nice recommendation!).

For dinner, we found a nice ristorante overlooking a Piazza. Before we left Portland, we put together a tentative schedule of events, so we are currently planning tomorrow's activities. We're barely able to keep our eyes open. We woke up 4:30 am your time yesterday and have been awake until 1 pm in the afternoon the next day your time. So, we wish you Buena Sera (good evening) and will update you with a clearer head tomorrow.

Tom, Theresa, Tino & Collette