August 12 - Florence

Florence has been both amazing and frustrating - at least, that is the way it has been for me.  The best way to see the old part of the city is on foot, and for me, that has been the worst part also.  For one thing, it means navigating one's way through a confusing maze of streets and alleys.  I found the uneven cobles and paving stones difficult to say the least.  My cane would frequently jar between the cracks, and not all the paving stones were solid, some giving way underfoot.  The sidewalks, such as they were, were very narrow and there were often garbage cans, tables and chairs from small restaurants, and other pedestrians in the way.  We often had to walk single file.  At other times, Lyle lead me up and down the curbs on the street.  To walk on the street was also an "iffy" proposition.  It often meant taking one's chances with bikes, scooters, and small cars that would come speeding from either direction.

On the plus side, Florence is an amazing city.  The buildings date back to the 12th century.  It is not surprising to round a corner and come across a gargoyle or ancient sculpture.  The facade of the Duomo was impressive and the building itself was huge.  I liked the area around the Ponte Vecchio with the myriad small shops and the market stalls with their leather goods.

We have walked many miles here in Florence but only over a small area.  It took us several tries to find the shortest route from our hotel to the train station.  Fortunately our hotel is only three blocks off the River Arno so we are able to use the river as a landmark to find our way.  In our wanderings about through the streets and various piazzas, in three days I do not think we have ever covered the same route twice.

Tomorrow we catch the train back to Milan, ready for our flight home to Canada.  I am looking forward to posting some pictures of our travels once we are back.  I hope you have enjoyed reading about our northern Italy experiences.