Orvieto

In order to clear the driver's hours, Busabout sometimes give us a bonus stop at a place not on the circuit.
We had an hour here.

This place is a really tiny hilltop town in Tuscany.
We had to catch a funicular to get up there.

Orvieto-----The "massive-big" Cathedral--

......and Tanya standing outside

There was a massive-big duomo there!! (the dictionary says a duomo is a cathedral, especially one in Italy)

Looking around Orvieto---------------------

I wandered around with Vanessa who I had first met in Vienna.
We had coffee and just walked - it was quaint.

Orvieto--- A group of nuns admiring the Cathedral

As we came back to the duomo a group of nuns went by and I got a good shot of them all outside it!

A postcard from Tanya--- After Rome and her visit to the above City

Another campsite.
This one was ages from town on the bus and ages from the bus stop.

Within thirty minutes of being there a lady from our group was injured when a guy on a scooter tried to snatch her bag as she walked to the bus stop.
She needed stitches in her head but she kept her bag!

I was a bit freaked out by that and when we went into town I made sure I waited for the guide to come too.

Tanya with one of the "Imitation David's"------------and another "fake"--

......and every Florence albumn must have a shot like this!!!---

--The streets of the City--

Palazzo Vecchio------------"Lover's Padlocks"

(two photos)-----The Ponte Vecchio - Tanya at the Bridge

The Uffizi Gallery - and one of the masterpieces

(???), Tanya and Vanessa looking around Florence

We did a walk around town - markets, another duomo, Ufizzi Gallery, Ponte Vecchio, and a leather shop.

Florence at night--- "A nice sunset"------ The Ponte Vecchio

"The scammers!!!"-- Tanya and Ian

Then we had a group dinner and a few drinks at a bar.
I was nervous about going back to the campsite late because the twenty-five/thirty minute walk from the bus to the site wasn't well lit.
There was a Contiki group staying at the campsite and they were at the bar so I scammed my way onto to the Contiki bus which took me and my fellow scammer Ian all the way back inside the gates of the campsite - no walking necessary!!
Some of our group got lost on the way back and walked around for ninety minutes looking for the campsite!!

I had planned just to wander Florence on my first day there.

(two photos)-------- The Duomo---------

Palazzo Vecchio------------ Ponte Vecchio and River Arno

I took two buses and got myself to Piazzale Michaelangelo.
The view of the red tiled roofs was cool.
The duomo was really big and stood out from the skyline like it had been dropped there by accident!!

------------------------

After sitting up there for a while taking in the view I took my time meandering through the town checking out market stalls and shops and having the best gelati ever!!
Ferero Rocher and Baci - mmmmm!!

I purchased some leather bags and then found a pub to watch some cricket.

A "jigsaw" postcard from Tanya--- After her visit to the Piazza de Michaelangelo
......and the leather shops!!!

I didn't stay long because I wanted to be back at the campsite before dark.

I cooked up some pasta for dinner and set about culling some photos and writing Diary notes.
The set up was quite good with everyone's patios facing each other so we could sit outside our rooms and chat.

At the campsite in Florence-- "A bunny that said hello!!"

I also had a bunny rabbit living under my cabin - very cute!!

A new roomie arrived - Anna.
We chatted for a bit and then crashed.

A new day in Florence--- ......and it's pouring rain!!!

Tanya's ticket

Galleria dell'Accademia--- "David" (two photos)---Postcard view --

......and click on this picture----to watch an "animated flyaround" of the David
(NOTE - this is an external link)

I wanted to be up early in the morning to line up and see "David"!!
I was in line to see "Big D" by 9.15am - but I still had to wait nearly an hour outside in the pouring rain.
I finally got in and it was well worth the wet and the wait.
I sat for nearly an hour looking at him from front, back, left, right, close up and far away and using the computer imagry to see him up close.
His pupils are shaped like love hearts - odd!!
Anyway, I could have sat for ages longer but I think the security guards were getting a bit suspicious of me!!
Admittedly I was taking photos when you weren't supposed to be - I was using big groups of American tourists as cover!!

Florence----------The Ponte Vecchio and River Arno

......and here are some of the shops--- (three photos)

I headed to the Ponte Vecchio after that.
It is a bridge covered in shops that just sell jewellery - my sort of place!!

The shops on the Ponte Vecchio--- Receipt for Tanya's necklace

I bought a necklace.

A note to Tanya from Geoff
No, I don't remember!!!
......but I want it!!! - where is my present???

Then on the way to the pub to watch some more cricket I picked up a present for Dad - he is expecting it.
(Do you remember what I said I would get you from Florence?)

At the pub I got chatting to a lovely English couple and we shared a few rounds.

Then it was back to the campsite - again before dark and bed for our early bus the next day.

Florence-----------------The Duomo

Even though the weather was a bit miserable in Florence, I really liked it!!