With yesterday’s incident behind me, I got up at 6:15 to run this morning and try to see a different side of Florence. I ran in the opposite direction of downtown because that’s where we walked around yesterday and ended up getting lost because I couldn’t find the river to follow along. I was endlessly relieved when I stumbled upon a familiar looking place and, soon after, the hotel. I wanted to hug it. Miraculously, I still managed to make it back in time, so I wasn’t late meeting the group at 8:15 to walk over to the Ufizzi Art Museum.
I don’t know why I went to the art museum though. It was sooooo boring. We had a guided tour that included a headset so that you could listen to the tour guide anywhere within the same room. I ended up sitting on benches and listening to him talk while reading a book. I just got up and switched rooms every time they moved. I definitely do not appreciate art or visiting museums when I'm travelling.
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| Locks of Love, symbolizing the everlasting love of the couples whose names are inscribed on each lock, located on the river |
I was so glad when we finally left. Pam, Chelsea, and I walked over to the Boboli Gardens and explored a bit. The gardens are actually a lot like the University of Michigan arboretum. I was surprised at how similar. The main difference was the six euro entrance fee. We took a lot of pictures while we were wandering around. I found an empty statue post near an overlook, so we all pretended to pose for some photos too.
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| Inside the gardens |
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| A view from the gardens of Florence rooftops |
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| The statue post |
After buying some more Bacardi breezers, we walked back across the Ponte Vicchio, a bridge with expensive storefronts on it, and along a pathway where artists had set up stands selling original paintings and sketches. I purchased a picture of one of the bridges on the river before we headed back to the hotel.
Dr. Fink and Kimberlie showed up at the last second to give us enough money for a meal at a nearby pizzeria. We all got sandwiches and water before picking up our bags at the hotel and loading them onto the bus to Novellara. The bus ride was really long, but it was through scenic countryside so when I wasn’t writing my journal entries or reading, I was entertained.
The hotel in Novellara is really cute. It’s small and quaint, stuck in the countryside but a small town is within walking distance. It is the picturesque Italian village that you read about. After arriving at the hotel, we hung out in the room for a few hours before Pam and I walked into town to get our daily gelato. I’m really getting sick of ice cream in general, but I just discovered the amazing flavor combination of fragola and ciccolato, which is strawberries and chocolate.
After desert, we gathered with the group to go to a dinner hosted at the local production site of balsamic vinegar. The dinner was really weird though. The wine kept coming and the food was very different. We passed all of the plates, so it never really seemed like there was a main course, just a series of appetizers. Pam and I ended up pretty tipsy at the end of the three hour meal. Her having five glasses of the white wine and me six. It would have been fine if only there had been more food.
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| The group before dinner at our host, Andrea's |
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| Dinner |
We came back to the hotel after dinner and passed out.
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