Florence!!!

We LOVED Florence - in Paris it was freezing cold and it felt like everyone was hibernating - but in Florence people were out and about (strolling in the centre of town on the saturday night is a big deal) - we decided that Italians don't know how to hibernate :-)  Here are some of our highlights....

Sunset on the Arno River

Michelangelo's statue of David in the Accademia Museum

Nikki had a half an hour of pure bliss sketching David's hands (she was initially not keen to sketch in public, but soon got completely caught up in the drawing and largely didn't notice anyone else in the room)

Botticelli's Birth of Venus in the Uffizi Museum

They had several tactile representations of painting for people who are vision impaired - we were very impressed.

The view over Florence

A new Mona Lisa to add to my collection :-)

Enjoying the sun setting over the Arno

Steve really loved being able to stand next to a Stradivarius violin (in the Musical Instrument Musuem which is a part of the Accademia Museum)

Apparently travelling minstrels are a problem in the Uffizi gallery, so you aren't allowed to take your violin in to the exhibition areas.

This busker had a college group join in - it was heaps of fun to sing along with them to Wonder Wall

A really fun cooking class - here Steve is making Chocolate Souffle with Guy, Kevin Rudd's Canadian Doppleganger

Italian Hot Chocolate is smooth, rich and just what you need when you are cold (although I couldn't drink much thanks to my sugar issue :-( )

We saw this sign near the Duomo - we actually watched the movie A Room with a View when we were in Florence - which was a lot of fun pointing out places we recognised.

Nikki had a lot of fun in the wool shop (the max price here is 2euro for a ball of super fine Australian Merino wool - imported from Australia, then spun and died in Florence)

We ended up actually having to work one day - proof edits for three chapters we have in books coming out in 2015

In Florence we stayed in the Alba Palace Hotel which was recommended by our friend Cathy Marker - it was lovely.  We'd stay here again in a flash.  The room was small (but that is normal in europe), but the hotel is perfectly located, and the staff are lovely (and it is very quiet).  http://www.hotelalbafirenze.it/en/