Italy - Day Three - Drive to Venice

 We woke up to find it Raining and raining quite hard,

So plans got changed.

Bologna was not  for lunchtime

although we would stop on the outskirts and then make for the Hotel.

Depending on the time was if we made it to Venice today.

 So the first Target was the Sanctuary of the Modanna di San Luca

and the Basilica Bellas Madonna so San Luca.

We arrived and it was Raining, that much I had to buy Jennifer and special Umbrella 

That Umbrella was to make it all the way back to Melbourne.

 Inside it was warm.and cozy. best of all I was with my sweetheart

 It was Sunday so there was service going on.

The basilica had a covered walkway that ran for miles going to it.

 So it was impressive and views would have been impressive as well of Bologna

But the rain had closed the step to the top. and cut the visibility to very low.

So we got on the road again.

The roads were tollways almost the whole way there.

So we got to the Romantik Hotel Villa Margherita on the outskirts of Venice early at about 1:00 in the afternoon.

The hotel was very nice and the bedroom looked like it belonged in a museum. But it had the modern fitting.

This was going to be one very nice hotel to stay at.

It was a good thing we were here for two nights.

 Ok we got to Venice, it was only 20 minutes down the road

So we hopped onto a waterbus to St marks square

The plan to get to the square and wander back to the start through streets

Getting on the Water Bus was easy. ticket for 2 days and stepped on.

 We got to see the tiny canals and bridges

Basilica's and churches

and of Course GONDOLA's

all closed up as it was raining

So we purchased plastic boots and coats.

and off we went walking.

 St Marks square was wet and the crowds not so bad. This is the center of Venice, I just could help pinching myself and Jennifer. We were in Venice.

 The horses as seen in the movie were on show. We had pre-purchased tickets for the next day so they could wait.

St Marks Basilica was unusual as it was not tall.

 So far we went exploring the back streets, wet tourists were everywhere

 So of the side streets were empty and intriguing

 We had to cross the Grand Canal at the Raito Bridge, as this is a major junction point for foot traffic, it is very busy.

The streets were all different and show so much possibility. It also showed the Venice is falling apart.

 The canals weren't smelly as expected. but were like roads for the town.

 And the Food looked fantastic. We stopped here for a quick snack of the filled roll

Some streets were covered of sorts

And there were many bridges to cross.

We finally came to the end and headed back to the hotel for Dinner.

Little did we know that right next to this Church, Michael and Kim were staying in Venice as well.

Italy - Day Two - Florence

Florence was only 1 hours drive from the hotel we were staying at.

The hotel was the worse of the hotels we were to stay at.

It was a converted Convent that needed a lot of money to get it back into top condition. 

So Florence was to be the target for today

One whole day in Florence.

we had 2 sets of prepaid tickets.

One set to thePalazzo Pitti

and the second to the Cathedral of Saint Maria del Fiore

We found a Carpark near the Porta San Fredonia

and Started walk toward the first Target

We slipped into church on the way

and saw a glimpse of what  Florence had to offer

Palazzo Pitti is the Art Gallery of the ages

The queue to get in was long just and that was for those with tickets

Inside you get to realize this is Palace that has been turned in an art museum 

with some very fine artwork on display

The gardens were on display but due to time, we didn't go in.

Today was a day with the tight schedule.

The crowds weren't too bad once we were inside.

The ceilings were an artwork of there own, so you had to look all around, side to side and up and down.

So it was a WOW place.

Ok, some of the artworks were just over the top

this one was not, this measure only 4cm across

Some of the artwork new to us. 

Some we had seen in magazines before.

This one we john the Baptist's head, was way more detailed than expected.

Some of the Artwork just blended into the features of the palace

Yes, and there was Porn as well.

But it was the amount that was on display

They just covered such a large range

This one had so much detail in it,

you could easily spend hours studying it.

There was even a display of costumes that  worn over the ages

This one was a Jennifer favorite

It belonged to Queen Victoria.

Once outside the sun was out, so we bolted for the next stop.

we slipped down the side alley, bad mistake, Jennifer saw a fabric shop and of course spend money

we got the see the great bridge called, Ponte Vecchio

we continued through the back street

and they seemed to go forever

when we suddenly popped out at the Cathedral

and suddenly the crowds were there too.

This is one of the most impressive

of the Cathedrals, we visited.

it was white with a lot of Sculptures on the side.

We found the Baptistery of St John

And we had fast track tickets, so we went in, we found a Gold spectacle.

The artwork was in such fine detail and it was all mosaic

it didn't have much in the way of seats

But it was WOW place.

Once outside again we had to

wait to go into the Cathedral

The doors were closed as it is only open in the afternoons

So we went off to the Cathedral Museum

this is where some of the fragile and damaged pieces from the cathedral are displayed

Some of the Silver is also on Display

this means big pieces of Silver

the sculptures at the front of the cathedral have all been bought into the museum. this is to protect them from the elements

Some of the sculptures from inside have also as they have had to be replaced

Some of the statues were only on display in the cathedral for a couple of years before they were removed.

outside the sun shone and the cathedral was about to open

we waiting in line for a half an hour and chatted to an American couple who were over for 5 days.

and I thought 10 days was too short.

the doors remained closed right up to the time it opened.

from the outside it was impressive

Inside was huge.

the ceiling details were painted by the masters.

statues were from the masters as well.

and the tower, well that was ornately decorated.

we walked passed the Palazzo Pazzi.

the queue to Micheal Anglo's "David" was miles long.

So we saw the replicas.

we slipped into the back door show and took some photo's before we were told NO PHOTO's

so we just started to explore Florence.

The street was for People only, No cars allowed

(Notice Jennifer with her bags of Fabric)

We found the bridge of Ponte Vecchio

This is basically a big jewelry store and lots of tourists

most just looking at the jewelry is very expensive.

after this, we decided it was time to head back to the car.

We aimed for the Basilica di Santo Spirito

This place was quiet in all the hum of Florence

The paintings were from the 14th century

In the courtyard, I saw a guy that looked just like my dad

relaxing in the sun and enjoying watching the people around.

It made me cry as Dad had been gone a year now.

It showed me that I missed him still.

The courtyard was a quiet graveyard to the Nuns that have served there.

Meanwhile, the Basilica was just another little building in a crowded city of Florence

back into the back streets of Florence we went wondering

As we tried to find the car.

and back tot he convet for a good night sleep

Venice Tomorrow.