I didn’t come to Florence just to shop!

June 27, 2008

So today was the last leg of our Italian cruise segment. We previously stopped in Naples, which was pretty good and had some really nice views of the landscape and scenary. It’s definitely like what you see on tv and in the movies. Our next stop was Rome, which is really remarkable and I LOVE the city. It’s rich in culture and treasures and I’m sure it’s like being in a big city in the US where you just have to spend a couple of days exploring all the sights, but at the end, you won’t even have hit all of them. And lastly, we’re in Florence.

Now Florence is north of Rome and is probably known for its museums and art. Oh, there’s also shopping as well and believe me, if you happen to stop by this city, be prepared to bargain and bring your wallet as you’ll spend big time for the best names in fashion: Gucci, Dolce, Prada, etc. Unbelieveable!

We started our private (non-NCL) tour by heading off to Pisa. The drive wasn’t that bad, except the bus ride was slightly bumpy. The traffic was cooperative and there wasn’t any problems…again, except for those bumps that we hit along the way. We saw the Leaning Tower of Pisa and it’s truly a sight to see. Ran into a lady who tried to pickpocket my auntie’s waist bag. First incident of trouble on this trip and seeing that we’re at least half-way through, that’s promising that we’ve had a trouble-free trip so far. Good stuff.

After walking back to the bus, we headed over to Florence and saw the world famous statue of Michaelangeo’s David. Unfortunately they wouldn’t allow photography there so I couldn’t get any pictures, but if I did…I’d be a happy guy! We snagged a bite to eat at a nearby local trattoria and had some incredibly delicious spaghetti and pizza. Then it was off to stop by the shopping district and see what bargains could be had. When we could find none (or didn’t buy anything), we stopped for a gelato and headed back to the boat.

I’m slightly disappointed that we weren’t able to spend more time at the art museums or galleries or even checking out more sightseeing stuff. We primarily stayed in the center of town the entire day and while Florence is nice and looks very similar to New York City, it might not be the city I’d visit again often. Perhaps once in a while but I’m thinking that once you get to see everything, there’s no point in going back? I dunno…

I’m sorta sad too that we’ve left Italy even though we’re going to go back after our cruise - this time to Venice and Rome. More pictures to be taken!

Quick recap of last night before I wrap up this post…the food was pretty good for dinner last night. I actually can’t remember what I had for dinner last night believe it or not. They all kinda merge into one big blur after a while. But I did manage to catch the semi-final match between Russia and Spain in the European Cup. Soccer has not been a great sport to watch and I find it deadfully boring, but you will not believe the fans and enthusiasm on this boat for the Spanish team. I’ve taken some video and it’s insane! The little kids are more enthusiastic about this sport that the rest of the adults and they were chanting and cheering the entire time.

After the match, I stopped by the ship’s Spinnaker Lounge to catch the adult-only improv performance by Second City. I saw their act two nights ago and it was hilarious so I expected comedic genius this time around. Unfortunately I was proven wrong. I wasn’t really entertained and often times I wanted the skits to end. They were all improv and dreadful. But now that’s over…heading off to another “show” happening tonight. What will it be? Who knows…it might just be something to kill some time.

Next stop: Nice in France! Au Revoir!

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Posted in Sightseeing, Travel