Day 3 - Florence Reprise

 The day after Siena we were taken to Florence, a welcome return for the OH and me and a bit of an endurance task for some of the others if you listened to them afterwards. We started off with a guided walking tour of the centre and despite having done a lot of reading before we went last autumn we still learned a lot on this tour. It ended by the the Uffizi and the general plan was people had lunch nearby and then came back to visit the Gallery at the time on their pre-booked tickets. We'd already said we didn't want to go to the  Uffizi; it's not as though it isn't only six months since  we were last there, so we went off to do our own thing. 

Above - Dante's house, so they day. 

This was basically to have lunch; the OH had decided it would be nice to revisit the place we had eaten on our first night in Florence, so we did that. It's not that we like ruts or anything 😄 but he had exactly the same meal as he had on our previous visit and I only varied mine by choosing  a different dessert, because, as I recalled it, their pannacotta had been just a tad on the rubbery side on our previous visit.

 

After that we went back to San Lorenzo to visit the Medici Chapel.Previously we'd only been to the Library and the Cloisters and we thought we might get into the church proper this time as well, but it turns out you buy a different ticket for that somewhere else, so we saved it for another time. The Medici Chapel is - well, shall I say overwhelming again? Jaw dropping but not what I would call tasteful. There again my taste doesn't run to green marble, but then I'm not an uber-wealthy Renaissance Duke. 

After we left he chapel I said to the OH he should see if he could find any wool shops in the vicinity and I honestly thought he was joking when he said; There's one a two minute walk away'. Despite being so close it was difficult to find, as Google directions can be a bit iffy when you get down to small distances. It was very nice but I didn't buy anything in there. Still it was fun to visit. And then we trooped back to the  group meeting point for the long walk back to the the coach park. 

I have to say that I thought Florence was crowded in September, but that was as nothing - as nothing I tell you!- to how it was in April. A thoroughly enjoyable day nonetheless ( for us. Some of the rest of the groups were less than enchanted by Florence.) Can't think why not