Firenze

Last weekend, Chuck and I went to Firenze (Florence) which is a three hour train ride from Modena.  Finally, we figured out our way to Modena by the bus in Maranello!  As I said in my previous post, it's easy to ride the bus without paying since the bus driver doesn't check your ticket as you enter nor do you pay as you enter/leave.  It's pretty much based on the honor system.  You have to find a ticket machine at the bus station, newspaper stand, or tobacconist shop to purchase a bus ticket before boarding.  Chuck was contemplating not using bus tickets like we did in Rome since no one usually checks them, definitely not the bus driver.  We had bus tickets from a previous travel that we didn't use (they were still good since we didn't have it stamped with the date and time yet) and I insisted that we use them as I just feel too guilty.  Chuck agreed and good thing he did because before we got to the bus stop these inspectors just came on board to check if everyone had a valid ticket!!  Unfortunate for one man who rode the bus without paying and was escorted to the police station which happened to be next to the main bus terminus.  

We arrived in Firenze during lunch time and we were starving.  We found a really cute restaurant with sidewalk seating and since it was a really nice day out (warm and sunny), we ate outside.  I love eating in Italy, especially the dessert!  We shared a bottle of red wine Lamole di Lamole Chianti Classico 2004 and my current favorite appetizer Insalata Caprese (fresh sliced buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes, and capers seasoned with salt, pepper, olive oil, and basil).  I ate spaghetti with pesto and tomatoes and Chuck ate gnocchi with a pesto sauce.  Both were very delicious.  We ended the yummy meal by sharing dessert, a very delicious tiramisu.  

After lunch, we walked around taking in the beauty of this city.  There is so much to see in Firenze and we only saw a very small snippet of the city.  We'll definitely make another longer trip here to get a better sense of Firenze.

This is the Duomo, a 19th century cathedral, at the Piazza del Duomo.  It's exterior is very impressive with its polychrome marble-green from Prato, white from Carrara, and red from the Maremma.  We didn't get the chance to go inside because there was a massive line of people and we were leery of waiting in such a long line.  So, we simply enjoyed its flamboyant exterior from a sidewalk bar, drinking a beer.  

You can climb the 414 steps of the bell tower.  

Chuck poses in front of the Battistero (baptistery), an octagonal-shaped building west of the cathedral.  It dates back to the sixth century.