Plans for the Coming Days~ July 19th

Oh we had a good nights rest and woke up at 7 am...and dressed and went out to have breakfast which was included with our hotel!

A very nice breakfast which was included so we sat out in the garden area.

We then went back to the room to decide what to do next?  Because check out time would be tomorrow morning - Saturday and where would we go from here?

We had looked through the brochures and the tours they have available from Florence.  We are in the Tuscany providence & we are pretty close to the town where the Pisa is and then there is this cute area along the coast called Cinque Terre - we have seen pictures of...shall we rent a car for a few days to go see these areas...????

We decided to see about renting a car...for a few days.at least get an idea of cost here in Italy.

It took a while to get some information at Thrifty, Dollar & Avis ~  We stood in line with a couple from Texas and also from the East coast North Carolina - how fun it was to chat with them while waiting for our turn!  They of course had reserved ahead - being here in Italy for just a few days or weeks~

We did rent a car a Fiat Panda - small & cute!  So tomorrow morning we will pick up the car and drive it over to the hotel to load up the suitcases...yeah!  We rented a manual - they are a little cheaper to rent...and it is fun to drive with stick! Which Ellen likes!  Nick has no problem with it either!

We are looking forward to it!


Here are some Fun sights we enjoyed as we walked along the corridors of Florence!

 How cute that little tower on top!  Was it to sleep in?  Was it to keep watch from the enemy?  Is it a water tower of sort? 

Big Door right? ...YES...very BIG door!

 Italy is known for their shoes!!!  But could we walk in these??????

Nick said he could picture me walking in these below....yeah sure Nico....someday....ha!!!!!  

Stylin' ...... Right!

Thankfully I only have 1 suitcase & 1 backpack...because this store would of been fun to nose around it...and that is if you have a house!! Which we don't!

 How about some dessert somebody?  Go ahead make a decision....on what??????

 And the Gelato Italian ice cream they are so well known for????? Oh my the flavors are truly the ingredients that they have been made with..no imitation here!!!  Pistachio, mango, chocolate, coconut, watermelon....  Gelato ~ Oh My How Good is That!!!!!!!

We came again to the river as we walked through the old town & this time we came to the bridge that had the buildings on it....ah look Nick those houses are actually shops Nick..yes  jewelry shops!    Ponte Vecchio Bridge

Every shop had jewelry - from Rolex to Gucci and then more!  Way too expensive but fun to look anyway.  There is another part of Florence where most of the people lead their daily lives...and I am sure the prices are more reasonable there but the old city of course caters to the tourists!!







We enjoyed going into a "SUPER" Supemarket store (of course here in the old city again!) and gosh talk about having it good here in Italy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  So many delicious dishes in the deli and lots of different types of breads (my weakness!!!!) and jams and lunch meats...all freshly cut...and the fruit & veggies - beautiful!  Italy is a garden of its own!  A bounty of goods - and we are traveling!  Yes "if" I had a studio...well then we could cook up a feast...!

While walking along the streets...I saw this "familiar" thing...yes I had seen in Holland...and I said "look Nick...this is what I was telling you about....it is a garbage collector and people drop their plastic bag into the slot opening and then it goes down into a really big container.  Then a garbage truck comes with a crane & hook on it and grabs the big knob on the top and it lifts the whole big container out off the ground & lifts it over to the top of the truck and the bottom opens up...a fantastic invention...and a great way for the people in these neighborhoods. 

We headed back to the hotel for a rest for a while.

At 6 pm we headed out again - and came across a really really neat place!  It was originally the  old train station but because of the new one built they are now using this as a place to eat and have a morning market! 

It was just so cool inside - how they had decorated it - and made different eating areas throughout this place.  Vegetarian & a wine area and a pizza area, coffee stand, and a beer pub....all together in this area. 

These dishes have all fresh pasta's - you can pick what you want...take it home or - have them make a fresh sauce for it & enjoy it right there!

...What a Grand idea..to use this old station in this way!.  The bottom floor was a open produce market and open until 12 noon.  Oh is was darling...and the idea was again so very neat!!!!! Loved it!


So tomorrow is check-out time...pack the bags and head to the coast and we are looking forward getting into a car again & going out for a drive!