Just to let you knowm I am sitting here enjoying a caneloni whilst writing the events of today and it is scrumtuous. Be patient as I am typing with just one lens of my glasses. Not only is my screw missing but my frame that holds my right lens in is broken so bear with me!
All right foodies -- here is Saturday's breakfast. The breakfast at this hotel was much better than in Venice. There was a lot more choices and hot food was even among them. We had a later start this morning as we needed to depart on our walk to the Duomo at 8:30. Since there was a World Cycling Event here in Florence this week, we left early as the guide wasn't sure what streets might be blocked due this cycle race. He also arranged for 6 of our elder members of the tour to take taxis to the Duomo since we didn't know what kind of a walk we were in for. Before meeting up with our guide for the day we had a tour of a leather factory and a jewelry designer showed us some of her gold jewelry designs.
Father Miller was our model at the leather demonstration. The gentleman spoke about what to look for when shopping for leather to see if it is real. Most of us know that it is the softness and we think the smell but nowadays that smell can be fabricated by chemicals. He showed us how to separate the coat from the lining and see if the leather glides against itself easily. It should not as the back of leather has the suede texture. Also in their store most of the leather was goat skin. Since a leather jacket was on my agenda for this trip I found it really pretty interesting. Also, Father Miller let us touch him with this coat on -- an exception to his rule just for today!
After this we were teamed up with our guide for the rest of the tour. Unfortunately she was not a great one, in fact I can't even say she was a good one. By the time we got to the Basillica of Santa Croce most of us (Father included) were truly sick of her. We were fortunate enough to have mass in the side altar where the relic of St. John's finger was under the altar. Needless to say, I could not take a picture of this rules being what they are. After the mass we were blessed with a special tour of the main sacristy, the side altar that contained the hand of St. Andrew and the skull of St. John Chrystostum as well as the altar where the eucharist is kept in the basillica. Not just anyone gets to see these areas but somehow God smiled down on us today. (Must have felt sorry for us having such a ridiculous tour guide!)
After we were done in the Basillica we went to the Academia Gallery to see the Statue of David. Apparently having two priests in our group got us to the head of the line more quickly...those Roman collars have their perks I guessm especially in Rome. In the first room Father Miller was really fed up with the tour guide. He said to me, "You know you don't HAVE to have that ear piece on if you don't want to listen to her...I've turned my volume down a long time ago!" So we kind of ignored her and went off on our own looking at paintings, reading the info and discussing things on our own...much more pleasant. Pretty soon a lot of the other group members took our cue and the size of the group actually listening to her dwindled to probably less than 10. The permission to not listen to the tour guide was the best gift Father Miller gave me today!
After we finished at the Academia we had the rest of the day free. Deb Haugen, Rosemary Weaver, Sue and Tony Urich joined Cindy and I for lunch and SHOPPING! Tony was a good egg about the whole thing. Deb had also decided that a leather coat was something she wanted to take home and we had good luck. Her twin sister had been in Florence and had come home with a coat from the same store we got ours in! The fella was a great help in assisting us and as you can tell we had good luck! After this big purchase we went to the straw market -- street vendors as far as the eye can see. My wad was pretty much blown but Tony got a new hat in which he looks rather dapper and Rosemary, Deb and Cindy got some scarves.
I'll end with another foodie photo. After a long afternoon of shopping we came back for a little rest and then hit the hotel's cocktai bar and free appetizers for a time of catchiing up on everyone's adventures. Pretty soon the others disbursed and we decided to go to supper for a place recommended by Fr. Miller for their spaghetti carbonara. I give it high marks. We went with the same group we shopped with and dubbed ourselves the "Sister Wives" -- lucky Tony, right? Sue decided it was her turn to have Tony for the night and all were in agreeance there! We have an early start tomorrow morning so I had better sign off now!
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