Florence--Where Naked Is Never Out Of Style

We had tickets to the Uffizi Gallery and Accademia Museum in Florence. Both places had spectacular art work. In the Uffizi Gallery there are many famous paintings. Here are a few that I was able to get off of the internet. Both museums had a "no foto" policy.










For many years it was very popular to paint pictures of the Savior's life. Later, during the Early Renaissance era, it became popular to paint and sculpt nudes. One positive thing about a nude painting is that the models clothes can not be said to be out of style.





This is Michelangelo's David. This statue is outside and the one below is inside. The one outside is a casting of the original which is inside the Accademia.



The next picture is someone dressed up as Michelangelo on the steps of the Uffizi Gallery.



Marty and I are standing on Ponte Vecchio. It means "old bridge." It is a medieval bridge that crosses the Arno River. Throughout the history of this bridge, there have always been shops along the sides of it.

There are still shops here today!

Hating to pass up good shopping we had to shop! I saw a really cute jacket! Even in 100 degree weather, I am still drawn to jackets. I was in the process of trying on a cute, green leather jacket when the guy selling it, mentioned that maybe I had eaten too much pasta since I had come to Italy. The jacket had a hard time fitting over my lower gut.
This is how my money belt got the nicknames...."pasta gut, pasta pouch, pasta belly and pasta pocket."
As I look back on some of my pictures, I can see where I look like I indeed had a "pasta gut."
I would fill this 8 inch long, 6 inch wide- pouch FULL. I bought one for everyone, but as it turned out, I was the only one who wore mine. Maybe everyone else thought it made them look fat. Anyway, I carried everyone's passports, all of the euros, coins and bills, my ipod, my cell phone, my American money, my credit and debit cards and even a few pamphlets. Just to make sure it wouldn't get stolen or get lost, I would strap this around my waist and then wear it inside of my pants. No one was going to get my money!

After being called fat by a Pakistanian man selling Italian jackets, I walked away--leaving the cute, green leather jacket. (I actually have a green, suede jacket in my closet, so I am not too heart broken)

We walked further into the shops and I found a nice leather jacket for Joe, another purse for Sarah, and a few other odds and ends. I could have stayed in the shops for hours, but Marty isn't all that interested in bargain shopping.

We saw more of Florence which is beautiful. The rest of the pictures are of the basilica, the Duomo, and the main piazza.