Florence
Florence was probably the one city I had researched the least. Having only one day there, and knowing David and the Uffizi Gallery were already on the itinerary, I didn't think I'd have a lot of free time. Florence surprised me though. I found the city to be delightful. The picture on the right does no justice for the colors of the building. In fact, I was very surprised by this as I had the assumption the building was just off white with a dome! Imagine discovering the dome is only a tiny part and the building is very colorful! From the top of the Uffizi, we looked over the river and the city. We broke for lunch and some free time before heading to see David. This was the only time during the entire trip that I went off on my own. We passed an outdoor farmers-type market on the way through town and I desperately wanted to check it out! So while most of the group went to lunch, I went shopping! The only thing I regret about this was that I only bought one pair of those shoes! Surprisingly I felt very safe in the streets, yet Florence was the one town we were confronted by beggars. Then came David.. I LOVE David. I don't think anyone could ever appreciate this beautiful work without seeing it in person. I was speechless, and trust me, thats rare!
Tuscany
Tuscany- every girls dream since the movie "Under the Tuscan Sun". To say that Tuscany was all I wanted it to be, is an understatement! Our Villa was fabulous! We got there in early afternoon. Our day consisted of a cooking lesson, a gourmet meal fit for a king, some drinks and laughs, and some pool time! This was a much needed bit of R&R for everyone! The second night was more of the same, but this time the meal doubled as our goodbye for a fabulous driver, Francois. The following morning he would kick us out in Rome and he would head home. It so happens that Italy was playing in a semi-final game for the World Soccer Cup that night. The villa staff and their extended families invited us to join them for the game! So fun to watch the Italian game, with an Italian family, in Italy! Better even still, Italy won! I stayed up late one night talking to the bartender, Lorenzo. What a little cutie. If I ever make it back to Tuscany, I don't think I'd stay anywhere else! On a side note, the precious space the swimsuit took up in the suitcase was worth it, even if only for a night!