9.28 - Wednesday - Encore Firenze

FIRENZE... WE'RE BACK!!!

"Ok so we let Sylvana do the Laundry, grab a little collazione and then head for the train."

"Watch out for that step...oooppppssss too late"

"Ohhhhh shh@;&;$;)....that's gonna leave a mark."

"Are you all right? That was quite a thud... now you can't say anything about my trips and falls!"

"Yeah...my one fall to your 32... Not even close

Chucky has his first slip and fall of the trip, deliverin dirty clothes to the Lavandaria. And DL is trying to equate his one slip to her propensity for tripping all around the world. She claims victory since his fall apparently drew blood... WHATEVER!!!

As we sat on our hilltop patio on this incredible, cool morning, basking in the golden Tuscan sunlight, overlooking the most spectacular view of the countryside surrounding Florence with our fresh baked croissants, robust cafe Italiano listening to the rooster down the hill claim his territory, [he's been cock-a-doodling each morning starting at 6am] I can't help but declare... IT REALLY DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS!!!

Then a quick triippp up stairs to get our gear ["got your ear plugs for the Ufizzi tour?"]  make it down stairs without incident, maneuver the car out of our spot and prepare for another "Mrs Toads Wild Ride" down the veeerrrrry narrrrooowwww wiinndinnng. mountain road to the stazione ferroviarria in Agliana. Half way down she reveals she doesn't have her earplugs for the audio tours... too late now, we'll just share mine. We find the only open  parking  spot. in the shade even, stop at the journali kiosk, to buy "due bigletti per Firenze, andato e returno" and after a brief wait, hop the train for Firenze Santa Maria Novella stazione for our next adventure in Bella Firenze, taking the time to pen the opening to this NOWAT.

Thirty minutes later...CIAO FIRENZE, WE'RE BACK!

We have reservations for the Ufizzi Gallery @ 1pm and a 20 minute walk to Piazza Signoria  puts us at door #3 a the Ufizzi office to buy our tickets and after a short wait at door #1 we are inside before our time. The Rick Steve audio download  was good for the highlights of the important, more well known pieces, but skipped most of the other art in each room. The tapes often refer to works that have been moved or are being restored, in this case all the sculptures and paintings in the Tribune [The Medici original offices {Ufizzi = offices] In all, for a free download, it served it's purpose, much better I am told than the audio guide you can rent at the entrance.
Got a great shot from the Ufizzi back window of the Ponte  Vecchio.

Getting into the Ufizzi was pretty easy, getting out of the Ufizzi is another thing. Your're forced through a mile sf insignificant rooms, though one was cute, with a running video of all the scenes in all the movies that were ever shot in the Ufizzi, or from windows overlooking the Arno river and Ponte Vecchio. And of course ending in a seemingly endless series of the obligaroty tchotchke stores and out a back door leaving most coming out very disoriented.

Fortunately Chucky's innate sense of direction [and ever present map] saves us too many wrong turns and we head for I Fratteliini hole in the wall for a quick paninni ane wine, before swinging by Il Porcelino [The Bronze Boar at the Straw market] where you slide a coin down his tongue hoping it will fall through the grate below to insure you return to Firenze. Same results as 10 years ago... Dragon Lady missed on the first try so may or may not be back. Chucky's didnt fall either, but who knows.

Then off to Mercato San Lorenzo for more gift shopping. And... of course, Chucky manages to find the same woman, in the same spot that he bought his first Italian Leather Fishermans hat, 10 years ago to the day. Unfortunately, she did not have a replacement, and heartbroken the little Italian Man refuses to settle for anything less since he already had the one she was trying to push on him from the trip in 2008. The rest of the trek through the mercato, netted several take homes, but we're still missing a critical one.  Of course, you know that some how, shoes would make it back into this game...

"Lets go see that Garden the boys at Verrazzano mentioned."

"That would be the Giardini Boboli, I think its at Pitti Palace, but at this time, I bet its closed."

But we head that way anyhow... cause she just has to visit the jewelry stores on Ponte Vecchio. And of course... same as the last trip in 2008... Pitti Palace and the Gardens were closed. only this time no rain. Oh welll sooner or later, just not this time

DRAGON LADY NOTE: Throughout the day Chucky managed trip three times to her none... a world record so far. Also, he was starting to obsess about making the last train back to Montale and after failing to get the iPad to hook up to the free wifi in Piazza Republica to check the Trenitalia schedule he finds a tabbachi shop owner who uses his iPhone to verify the train schedules and we were off to "Da I 5 Amichi" for dinner, the same place, same table, and same time to the day... as 10 years ago.

A leisurely walk back to the train station, uneventful ride back to Montale-Agliana Stazione, 

"Hey.. the cars i still there!" 

and we head back up the Mountain.

Half way up, we had an O M G moment... and of course, she did not have the camera out when a 4 point Buck Deer, jumped out of the bushes not 20 feet in front of us, stopped, looked at us and disappeared into the darkness...Oh Well... perhaps another day.

Another late night finishing this NOWAT and we crash.

Tomorrow will be 2 Wineries, lunch and who knows what... but you know it wont be boring.

Ciao 4 Now
Uncle Chuck & The miffed because she has no deer picture, Dragon Lady

Enjoying Fine Tuscan Wine, Aged Sharp Cheese & Great Crusty Bread

10 years later and still Outstanding