26 Feb on the way to and Rome for 24 hours

Up early for a 10am train from Florence to Rome, lovely countryside along the way. Checked in at Rome Times Hotel, stayed here nearly 3 years ago, lovely hotel not far from everything. Found our way back to the Trevi fountain, we must’ve been directionally challenged last time as it was very easy. Stopped off for a snack at Caffe Trevi. Shoals of tourists have been replaced by tribes of school children. Started a new game: Where’s Weiry! Small things!
Strolled around to the Pantheon, missed it last time, quite amazing as well as stunning. The floor is interesting as it slopes outwards from the centre, not sure that was a BC thing or later renovation AD. Ambled on via side streets & the forum area to the hotel & now Mandy is whining, sorry, wining in the smoking atrium while Pearl Jam, Pumpkins & Jeff Buckley (so far) & Wilco & Radiohead (update) are serenading me over the house music. Around the corner for dinner, old faithful, then bed as we’re flying back to Bangkok tomorrow, & heat & 3 days of not running around.

24 February

Other than a 1/2 hour of rain in Bilbao & a temperature-plummeting afternoon in Madrid, we have been so incredibly lucky with the weather for a Spanish & Italian winter. Another glorious day today & currently a balmy 15 degrees.
Walked up to and over the Ponte Vecchio today, obviously the jewellery/watch centre of Florence. Then along Via Guicciardini trying to find an entry into Giardino Di Boboli. Made our way into the Istituto d’Arte but that dead ended. Couldn’t work it out so gave up. Meandered our way back to collect our washing & down to the local laundromat & lunch next door at Bar Cremeria, awesome lunch!! Back to the hotel so Mandy could recharge then out for dinner along the river at Bistro 34r & some fantastic pasta, biggest tortellini with cream & ham sauce I’ve ever seen. Prosciutto & honey dew melon was also exceptional. Bloated & about to go to bed to sleep it off. Train to Rome tomorrow for 1 last night in Italy.

Evening 23 February

A very quiet day so far, really nice breakfast at the Hotel & then a trip to the markets; a 10 minute retail frenzy ensued. Mandy was happy though with some bags & I was spoilt, again, with a beautiful buffalo long coat. Mandy calls it 'Bomber with a yeast infection'. The feel of it anyway. And about the same cost to get the yeast infection fixed.
Great lunch at La Borsa, somewhere in Florence, amazing prawn risotto for Mand's & a glorious fillet steak for yours truly, then made our way back to the river and home for an afternoons' reading in our suntrap.
It is quite chilly today with a strong wind and low temperatures. It's Sunday so the local are out en force, so we'll do some more exploring tomorrow when, hopefully, there will be less people around.

1,200 Euro sneakers, really?

23 February

It's been all go here today, 6:30am breakfast & pack. The wind was absolutely howling offshore and the fog was blown out to sea, we could actually see Capri and Vesuvius, intermittently.
Then a luxurious train ride through Rome and onto Florence. Mandy really found the sale of the century this time; huge room with a balcony/verandah basically the same size overlooking the Fuime Arno, absolutely gorgeous!
Settled in, then went for an amble along the river, then through the streets. Unfortunately we picked the street with all the big name & price labels, so we ventured off into lanes, plazas, other lanes. Florence is truly a beautiful city, and a lot quieter than what we've previously had, through tomorrow remains to be seen if I'll say the same thing.
Made our way back to the Hotel, Lungarno A. Vespucci 50, for aperitifs. Might eat in tonight, a bit tired but some work to do first.

Windy Naples

Naples

Fuime Arno

Our verandah

View from our verandah

Lounge side of our room

Bed side of our room

 

Verandah

Fuime Arno

Florence

Florence

Florence

Love the sign

Acrylic Tumbler

Florence

Mandy relaxing