- Having no luggage means nothing to lug around!
- Due to no cosmetics, I've had to wash my face with hand soap. It is like getting a face lift--my face is so dry and tight I can barely smile!
- I don't have to worry about what to wear so getting ready takes no time at all!
We picked up the car--an Alfa Romeo Giulietta!!! This car was SAWEET! I'll drive a standard like this any day. Funny (AND embarrassing) story. Due to lack of space most parking garages in Italy are underground in the bowels of the city. The Europcar garage was no exception. It has been awhile since I have driven a stick so I was a little nervous. I started the car and shifted into 1st smoothly. Then I rounded the corner to go up the steep incline out of the garage. I pressed the gas and pressed the gas and nothing! Finally, the agent came running out of the office and offered to pull the car out of the garage. I had miscalculated and was in 3rd gear! OOPS! I took the wheel back and with Kate and GarGar in the front seat we hit the road to Florence! Before we left the U.S. we downloaded the European maps onto GarGar. It was perfect between he and Kate we got to Florence without a problem. We turned in the car to airport and caught a cab to our hotel, the Tornabuoni Beacci. This is the same hotel we stayed in Christmas of 2008.
Gino met us at the door with open arms. Cita has stayed at the Tornabuoni numerous times over the years and this was my 3rd and Kate's 2nd. The two gentlemen at the front desk, Gino and Angelo, have been with the hotel forever. Angelo told me he has been there for 39 years. Isn't that crazy? We checked into our suite, which was a breeze with no luggage and headed out to lunch.
We went to Buca dell'Orafo. I love this place. Back during my first trip to Italy with Cita we ate here. It changed my life! The restaurant is located down a narrow street right of the Ponte Vecchio. You open the door and go down steep steps into a room with enough seating for about 36 people. Cozy! Here is a pic from the Internet. See the stairs down into the restaurant on the left? Our table is right there! I wish I was back there right now!
Here is my meal:
Antipasto: fresh pear and pecorino
Primo Piatto: rigatoni with creamy pesto sauce
Secondo Piatto: nothing, sorry, not a big meat eater
Contorni: fried artichokes-this description does not do this dish justice because it is amazing
I have to give some props to Kate here. For her primo piatto she had ribollito (rabbit)! The girl is brave. It was good, it was the best of the 3 pasta dishes we had. Cita had pasta with artichokes. They also had Kate's favorite meat dish from our last trip - stracotto=braised beef. Very tender and yummy.
From Buca dell'Orafo we headed to the Piazza del Signoria. This is Cita's favorite place to sit and have a cigarette (ssshhhh, she doesn't smoke remember). As we were walking over to the piazza Kate saw this girl come around the corner on a bike; she was texting, smoking a cigarette and riding a bike while wearing heeled boots. Kate was in awe. Talk about survival of the fittest! After the stroll we went back to the hotel.
Our suite was amazing. It had two bedrooms and a two baths. The whole thing was painted in frescos. Every time we looked at it we saw something new. We couldn't tell which parts of the wall were painted or 3-dimensional. Here you go...
The ceiling.
See the little cherubs pouring clouds from their picthers?
View from the bedroom into the living area.
Here is the wall with the hidden door into Kate's room.
Master.
Master bath.
Second bath.
After resting it was time for shopping and gelato!!!! Kate and I went down to the Mercato Nuova to check out the pashmina, leather and trinkets. 
Kate rubbing the snout of Il Porcellino. Sources say that if you rub his snout you will come back to Florence. It works like a charm--Kate rubbed his snout in 2008 and here she is again!
Then down to a little place for a slice of pizza and gelato. Coffee gelato, smooth, sweet and creamy. Perfect way to end the day--with or without luggage!
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