Florence

Let's sum Florence... a pigeon SHAT on me.

Florence was crowded, dirty, and I don't need to go back. But, Sweets saw the statue of David. We took a hot air balloon ride over the country side. And, we took an excursion into wine country that i assumed was a partial day, but ended up being 13 hours or something like that.

Sienna was fabulous and I could spend a few days wondering around the very steep streets... maybe some day. Vehicle traffic is very limited. Everyone walks. The cathedral is beautiful. Truthfully, every cathedral is-- it was a family's way of expressing their loyalty to the church.

We had a traditional meal at the Winery. It was nice.

We went to another hilly village. They were all built high for safety... you want to see who is coming, and it floods occasionally.

Then... Pisa! Another architectural phenomenon. Not only does the bell tower lean, so does the cathedral! The extreme bummer... theft is rampant. Even though each tour bus pays 200 euros a day to park, there seems to be little to none of that spent on infrastructure. Our tour guide was clearly nervous and highly intent on keeping us safe... I saw no police presence on the trip from parking to the walls. The pick pockets tend to be well dressed and clean teen girls. There was military presence inside the walls.

Next up! Rome.