Webster's Way - Nice to Florence
Trip Start
Mar ????
1
Trip End
Ongoing
Paris, Nice, Monaco, Turin, Milan, Florence, Italy
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Ciao tutti!!
>
> This time from Florence, Italy. Im being more
> correct
> with the grammar as a lot of people thought i was
> emailing from nice france, not Nice, France.
>
> Nice, France is great. The promenade de anglais is
> quite amazing, 6kms of great pathway along the
> meditteranean coast. The best way to explore is on
> bike, and that is what we did for half a day. We
> picked up some lunch and a bottle of rosette (rose)
> very cheaply, and we proceeded to have a great day.
>
> Nice is expensive though. So we only stayed for two
> nights. From Nice, France, we tripped to Monaco.
> Home to the f1 grand prix (even sussed the track out
> on the bus), some pompous royal traditions and more
> expensive automobiles than ann st in the valley,
> Monaco is a must see. This place ouzes of money,
> the
> glitz, the glamour, its all there. And we werent,
> we
> were off.
>
> Things took a strange turn here. Instead of going
> directly to florence, we decided to go to Torino to
> see my family.
>
> And arent we glad we did, we spent some time in
> Torino, soaking up the food, the wine, did I say
> food.
> Italians love food and lots of it. Phil coulndāt
> even speak the langauge that well, and yet every
> night
> in italy with the family we dined like kings and the
> conversation only ended after midnight.
>
> So torino is covered in scaffolding as they prepare
> for the upcoming winter olympics, so was good and
> bad.
> We still managed to see the <palazzo di madria,
> mole
> antonelliana and getting lost in the palazzis
> getting
> back to the train station due to the road works. we
> even saw the juventus soccer team on a bus.
>
> After a couple of days, we went to Milano to see
> more
> of my family.(Phil knew this would happen really,
> and
> it was part of the reason the short break of 3-4
> weeks
> in old job just woulndt cut it). Our trip has now
> been extended to 6 weeks. So milan is great, not
> many
> tourists. checked out palazzo sfresco, the duomo
> (plus scaffolding), the galleria and the arco de
> pace
> (would you believe a miniature version of the arc de
> triumphe in France) Napolean erected it when he
> took
> over milan, so its not a popular italian spot ad we
> were the only tourists as its in no guide books
> (bless
> local knowledge)
>
> Then hopped on a train to florence. home of ponte
> vecchio, pisa, uffizi, and the statue of david
> (which
> is awesome in the flesh - if you look closely enough
> you would swear he is breathing.)
>
> Whatās not good about italy is the queues, we queues
> 4.5hours for uffizi today way too many tourists.
> Letās say that Philās patience has improved
> immensely!! Saw some great works of michaelangelo,
> donatello, rapheal and the great venus potrait.
> brilliant.
>
> So were off tomorrow to Rome (another new addition),
> as we want to waste all our money on ridiculouly
> expensive accomdoation at easter, oh yeah and to see
> the pope while heās still around.
>
> Hope everyone is well, we appreciate the wedding
> photos people have sent us over the email.
>
> Ciao phil and bella
>
> Buona pasqua - or happy easter to all you non
> italians
>
> ps. Thanks to my families in Turin and Milan for
> your kindness.
