Florence, Italy - Street Scenes and Orsenmichele

We continued our walk and came upon a scarf booth. Wait! Stop here! Let's look

Florence, Italy - Street Scenes and Shops

We had a little time after our lunch to walk through the streets of Florence and take in the sights

Florence, Italy - Palazzo Borghese Firenze

The tour group leader announced that it was now time to stop for lunch.  We made our way, in no way prepared for the luxurious setting that was to serve as our dining room.  We walked through the narrow streets and I longingly looked at the little side walk cafes.  (Thought: let's just stop here!)

Florence, Italy - Ponte Veccio

I exited through the large Doric screen at the end of the Palazzo degli Uffizi courtyard and crossed the street to the Arno River.  The wall alongside the river was lined with spectators, jockeying for position to take a photo of Ponte Veccio.

Florence, Italy - Piazzale degli Uffizi

The Piazzale degli Uffizi is a long connecting courtyard between the main corriders of the Uffizi Museum.  It looks out at the Arno River.  Our tour visited the Uffizi Museum but weren't allowed to take photographs. If was very warm inside and a bit crowded.  I was able to see "The Birth of Venus" by Sandro Botticelli, and "The Annunciation" by Leonardo da Vinci.  Spectacular.

Florence, Italy - Piazza della Signoria

The goal for this part of the tour?  See the copy of Michelangelo's "David" in the large square Piazza della Signoria.

Florence - The Duomo and The Baptistry

Next on the tour?  The main church of Florence, the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (Basilica of Saint Mary of the Flower) or, as it is ordinarily called, The Duomo.

Florence, Italy - Accademia di Belle Arti

The Crown Princess docked at the port in Livorno.  I joined the tour group to Florence to sample a bit of the wonders in that city with "viewing the statue of Michelangelo's David" as one of my biggest choices.  As we entered the city, I noticed that some of the trees had been trimmed all the way back to the main branches.  The cars were generally smaller.