I spent some time trying to figure out where to go and when, how to structure things based on the fact that she would only be here for 4 days. There's a lot that you can do and see in 4 days so how would I pick? We had discussed going to the Uffizi so that was a definite and for that you need to make a reservation. I knew that was on the itinerary. I also really wanted to get to Siena so I put that on the list, too. Otherwise I left it pretty much open so we could see how we felt and what we wanted to do on any given day.
Day One included her bag getting delayed so that was a bit of a drag, but the happy end was that it arrived in the afternoon. I hear that sometimes it can take days for lost luggage to arrive and given that her bed was in her suitcase, that would have been a problem. Thank goodness it got here, as much as I love her the idea of the two of us sharing my twin bed didn't really appeal...
Otherwise we did some walking around in town, got coffee and lunch followed by gelato. After a nap (her) and some work (me) we wandered around to a few different places on my side of the river, ending up at Gola, the best wine bar in Florence according to Eduardo, one of the owners. We certainly enjoyed it, he gave us many samples of various wines and by the end it seemed like we'd tried them all. The next morning's headache confirmed it.
Days 2 and 3 mostly involved exploring Florence, walking and shopping and eating and even catching a movie at the previously described theater. The afternoon of Day 3 we made our way to the Uffizi at our reserved time. You know you're in one of the world's greatest art museums when you can barely get to the greatest art works because of the large tour groups that are standing in front of them. The Uffizi is really an amazing place, room after room of incredible art that is hundreds of years old. I think I will have to make another trip there before I leave Florence because there is simply no way to take it all in the first time you go.
(Small aside: besides the incredible art, I will also remember the Uffizi as having the most incredibly ridiculous price for a soda that I have ever seen in my life. One can of Coke Light cost €5, which is equivalent to $7.50. I think we were actually paying for the view of the Palazzo Vecchio, see photo.)
Day 4 was our trip to Siena which I was so excited to see. It's a beautiful walled city south of Florence that is home to the most cutthroat horse race on earth based on what I've read. I really want to come see that one summer soon, it sounds like total madness and so much fun. We walked around and visited their Duomo which is just amazing. The detail in some of these cathedrals is astounding to me.
What you can't tell about Siena when you approach is how incredibly hilly it is once you get into the main part of town. I cannot imagine that too many of its residents are overweight. That night we had dinner and drinks in Florence with my friend Melissa and I started to prepare myself to have to say goodbye to my little sister in the morning. How could it be over so soon when she had only just arrived?
After she left I asked myself "Did she have fun? Did I plan enough things for us? Did I show her what she wanted to see? Did she like it?" I think that the answer to these questions is yes but only she can say. From my perspective her visit was ultimately less about playing tourist in Florence than it was about me sharing what my experience has been like here. I truly hope she feels she got a firsthand sense for it because trying to describe it in a blog is like trying to describe one of Da Vinci's paintings. Words will never suffice.
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