Morgante had his pants removed...so much for modesty!

 What?  A travel blog?  I'm creating some diversification in my audience.  It is tough having my main readership 24-40 year old hot women that purely sexualize me...hey! I'm more than a pretty face and a hot body!!!!

This past MLK weekend the Commander, the kid, and I each packed a backpack and headed to Firenze at 300kph (180mph) on Italy's bullet train, the Frecciarosa.  First though, you have to deal with Napoli's chaotic nature.

Although fairly empty in this picture, the Napoli train station is one of the high crime spots in the city.  Crooked taxi drivers, pick pocketing gypsies, guys trying to "help" with your bag, directions, info, etc. Be alert!

 This kid is all the Commander...except for the demented sense of humor.

 Trying to get a 10 year old, that self admittedly "hates" history, interested in being in the center of the artistic renaissance is a bit tough. I tried to be creative and talk about seeing the differences in eye design, or color use, or finding the story in each painting... we went with counting marble penis'. (the plural of penis should be penes but how many times do you ever get to use s')

She enjoyed how the Birth of Venus was being modest by only exposing one nipple.

 An interesting take on the "sideways mohawk."

Ponte Vecchio from the Uffizi.













                                

   Meet Morgante!

 Supposedly a jester for the Medici family; posed for this fully nude.  It was just restored to it's original design and put back into display after some vine covered pants that were painted on him a hundred years later have been removed.  Apparently the pope at the time wasn't fond of naked dwarf jesters?

Santa Croce:
Galileo, Dante, and Michelangelo's tombs.

It's been 10 years since we were last in one of the best hidden restaurants in Firenze: Bordinos, home of the Florentine Steak

 Pontevecchio is lined with gold vendors

 The city's "skyline" is dominated by the enormous Duomo (cathedral)

 "Chukkin' the duece"

Ecce Homo...trying to tell me something?

How can you tell you have been in Italy a while?  When you walk past a Mexican restaurant and get excited...Best margarita I've had since leaving the US (ok only one but it was still good for Euro Mex)

Sorry no pics from the sunrise runs along the Arno river...but there is gps data.

Ciao!