Ciao from Italia

Internet, glorious Internet. We’ve been several days without wi-fi, so I have been feeling a bit cut off from the world. But oh the time we’re having! Much to my surprise, I loved Venice. I sort of expected it to be run down and gross, but it was charming and magical. I couldn’t stop singing Phantom of the Opera “Masquerade” in my head because of the Carnivale masks everywhere. Even the insane flooding the day we left didn’t get me down. Mr. W and I simply wrapped our feet in trash bags and slopped through the streets like everyone else.


From Venice, we took a train to Florence to our little apartment 5 floors up. Florence took some time to grow on me. I think I had an image of a small city in Tuscany in my head, which Firenze is not. It’s a bustling city complete with crowds and graffiti, but also draped in all the beauty of Renaissance Italy.


The duomo and the cathedrals and museums are just gorgeous. And I found it endlessly entertaining that we were walking among “high rises” that were built 500 years ago. Highlights from our stay there included a 1.6 kg steak—no idea how many pounds that equates to, but it took us two nights to eat it. All the food there was delicious, gelato included. I also loved the Santa Croche church where Michaelangelo and Da Vinci are buried.

But by far the most incredible part of the trip there was seeing the statue of David. It literally took my breath away. I had no idea how huge it was, or how magnificently crafted it stands. It was such a sight. I wanted to eat it.


We also took a day trip to Pisa, which despite the major pain in the ass of trying to get out of Florence via car, turned out to be a great little expedition. Pisa was beautiful…and we had the best dessert ever after lunch.

I am sooo loving the wine and cheese and chocolate here. Thank goodness for all the stairs and long walks to balance it all out.