Florence

Another tour in march in the heart of Tuscany to stroll in the Medicis marvel.

It is cold with some slight touches of sun. The ususal crowd has invaded the Offices square.
It is as noisy as always, and filled with the african sellers that play hide and seek with the carabinieris. One hour to queue to get in the museum, with the one-manned bored control of the bags. I queue as patiently as i can to be sure to see once again the beauty of the portrayed corridors. Always reminds me of that stunning corrider of the Maltese knights in Malta.

This time, a unique (i had to kiss a charming librarian in the neck to be here!) chance, to cross the Arno river via the Vasari corridor up to the Pitti palace on the other side, thus crossing on top of the jewellers shops , crowded of fake and not so fake gold, over the Ponte Vecchio, the antique (and sole remaining) of the shop filled former bridges.

Not to say how thrilled it is to be in the Boticcelli room. They can give me all the others i will stick with those beauties.

Up rooms of the Lorenzo Palazzo Vecchio have been closed. They were the more fun ones !
Lorenzo, my magnificent, come back to master those crazy Five Hundred of the duchy chamber!
They went mad.

Just two good ones :

Hotel : Grand Hotel Minerva. Piazza santa Maria Novella. (Tel = 39 (0) 55 27230)
For 170 euros what a treat with the view on the church with is black and white bourgogne roman style, the life of the square, and the tranquill charm of the perfect rooms. A rare treat

Restaurant : Osteria Via Isola delle Stinche, 11 (Tel = 39 (0) 55 28 9368)
In the quiet little streets of the Santa Croce neighbourhood : In this wood furniture environment, quiet a good dinner for two for 130 euros. It is expensive but al least not one of the others cheats that robb you for a poor food. Here the cheese , the meet and the pasta are excellent.

Another treat : the new gardens opened in the Pitti palace next to the former Boboli gardens (Don't miss the cypress alley that plunges down to the fountain : a view that was to be later copied by Versailles) : they have a stunning view on a terrace garden with little statues and the city Duomo and churches.. Wahou !!

Just stay quiet and take the hand of a charming tuscany lady...