Florence

It was hot in Florence and it was full of tourists.  The line to see Michelangelo's David was in the 2-3 hour range.  All of us except Judie had seen this work and Judie decided that there were better things to do than stand in the hot sun for a couple of hours.  Good decision.

 One of the things that we always find attractive in Florence is shopping in the market. 

  Alison and Judie rubbing the boar's nose for good luck, just prior to entering the market.  Judging by the bags they came out of the market with, their luck was pretty good.  I though my luck was pretty good too.  There is an air-conditioned internet access place located right across the street.  A good chance to catch up on email, read the sports news, cool off, and stay out of the way of the shoppers.  A multiple win situation.

We also strolled by the Ufizi to see the live statues out front,  

went by the Gold Bridge (Ponte Vecchio) seen here in the background, and of course, had a gelato

And with that we called it a day in Florence and caught the train back into the countryside where we enjoyed another good dinner at a small restaurant and prepared for a day of shopping in San Gimignano.

Continued on Page 8