I'm sorry Venice but I have to leave you today! I'm leaving with regrets that I didn't get to see all there was to see. I guess that's what makes great travelers though. We know that we have to go back to get in all there is to offer.
We decided to hire a private water taxi to take us across the canal to the train station. Handling bags on a public one was a bit much. Yeah, one more move and we're finished with these stupid, heavy bags. Note to self: only pack a few essential pieces and keep alternating them with jewelry and scarves. No more of this 10 outfit stuff for me!!!!!!!!!! I should have known better as I've been to Europe many times before.
On the train and headed back to Florence for our last day and a half in Italy. We have no agenda today other than to shop and explore. Florence has many open markets where anything you could possibly want can be found and purchased. Most of all, purses and belts of all kinds!! Scarves by the millions and mens ties. I'm in heaven.
When we checked in to our hotel, we were speechless. It was an old Palace that is now a hotel. The lady behind the desk actually greeted us at the door and took us up the old elevator to the 3rd floor. When I stepped in the elevator, there was a little loveseat in there. I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. "Well color me happy--there's room in here for two"---that was only the beginning. Oh my gosh! We had our own corridor where a plate of different kinds of teas were arranged and a bucket of ice. Something that europe doesn't offer unless you ask for it. Wow--she opened the doors to our suite and our mouths dropped. There was a couch, a loveseat, several chairs and a HUGE beautiful stone fireplace. Many furnishings as well. To the right was a big bedroom with a king size bed and even a treadmill kind of thing. We laughed and said it was to work off all the pasta we had eaten. This bathroom had a jacuzzi tub, double sink, and a separate shower. To the left was another bedroom with another king size bed. No tub in this bathroom though. Just a shower. Oh darn. I forgot to mention too that each bathroom had it's own bidet. I lived in Madrid Spain for almost 3 years many years ago so I was familiar with bidets. We unpacked and decided to go find some lunch (like we were starving you know). We asked at the front desk for a recommendation and they told us the little trattoria just across the street called Dante was great. We took their suggestion and headed off. We definitely were not disappointed!! I had a wonderful pasta and a lovely bottle of chianti. It was great!!!!! After lunch, we headed off exploring and shopping. Two of our friends that we met at Cooking School were supposedly staying at the Pitti Palace Hotel which was just down the street from where we were staying. We walked down there and I inquired about them at the front desk. I was told that they were not there. Hmmmmmmm-maybe they went home early or decided not to stay there. Darn--we really wanted to see them one last time. We walked back to the Ponte Vecchio and I headed off to shoot some more photos. Holly and Beth looked in some of the shops lining the Ponte which is one gold shop after another. I really wanted a gold necklace and bracelet but didn't really find one that was in my budget. Oh well, my gold lies in the photos I shoot and it was pure enjoyment for me. Carrying the camera around, however, was not!!!!!!!!
Shopped out, we head back to the hotel to relax for a bit. By now, we are totally exhausted and I think our two weeks of non-stop going is catching up with us. Once rested a bit, we head back out for a bit more shopping. Low and behold we ran in to our two friends that we had looked for earlier. Sally and Nan. They were college friends and have done several of these trips together. Both live in Columbus, Ohio. We invite them up to our hotel so they can see our room (suite). We still can't believe that that's where we're staying!!! They were in awe of it as well.
Dinner time--we tell them about the little Trattoria across the street and we decide it was so good that we'll go back for dinner. So the five of us head back to Dante's!!!! I would highly recommend this place. Everything was wonderful. Food, service, wine and location. We laugh and recall our past week at Cooking School. It's late and we're all ready for bed. We hug and vow to keep up with one another. New friends: I love making new friends!!!!!
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