Lucca and Florence

We left Pian di Fiume and took a train ½ hour back to Al Tuscany B&B in Lucca. We weren’t ready to leave the mountains and this beautiful agriturismo lodge – we loved it – but we were happy to be going back to lovely Lucca town. This is a cool place – evening shows in the squares, galleries and street art, shops, restaurants…a cool vibe. We love Lucca.

Friday, we took an all-day trip to Firenze (Florence). We hopped an early train and arrived in Florence before 10 a.m. – perfect timing for the Duomo opening. Jane was brilliant on the train ride – making reservations to get us in to see Michelangelo’s David and the Uffizi. Cool…I think we waited a total of 10 minutes while other people stood in crap long lines. If only they had a Jane!

First stop: the Duomo. Endless winding stairs to the Cupola and view over the city – gorgeous - SO worth the climb. We headed into the cathedral afterwards. The Galleria dell’ Accademia was next (we had a reservation for 12:15 - thank you Jane!) Michelangelo’s David was clearly the highlight – huge, amazing, wonderful and very well lit by sunlight through a dome overhead. A lunch by the Duomo and a last stop at the Uffizi – a multiple story U-shaped gallery of Medieval and Renaissance art. Beautiful. Exhausted and happy, we trained it back to Lucca for the night.

It is Saturday now – a ‘rest day’. We caught up on work, the blog, Jane watched international CrossFit games, we did laundry and hung out. Borrowed bikes from Claudio mid-day and went all around and outside Lucca – love the wall bike path. Big lunch on the plaza, siesta, and evening sangria while listening to Nora Jones in the plaza. Not a bad way to say goodbye to lovely Lucca.

Tomorrow – we’re off to our cooking class and then Cinque Terra!

Random Renaissance-dressed drum group - view from our window

"Our table" at a restaurant we frequented near our B&B. Prosecco-oooh yes.

Biking on the Lucca wall (around the city)

And oddly delicious combination of prosciuto (ham) over cantaloupe

View the Arno River bridge from the Uffizi

The Duomo in Florence

Lunch just outside the Duomo (bruschetta and caprese ensalata)

Kristi at the top of the Cupola overlooking Florence

Michelangelo's David (Jane bravely stole this picture from her Iphone)

View looking down inside the Duomo from half-way up the Cupola climb to the top/view of the city

View from the top of the Cupola overlooking Florence

Arno River, Florence (view from the bridge)

Jane descending stairs from the Cupola

Endless (and claustrophobic) winding stairs to the top of the cupola - but well worth it!