Jeysus so long since l last time touch the gentle and soft keypads of the laptop and I just hope that my grey matter will remember all the things that happened in Italy since it was so long time ago. Last time I was heading towards Firenze from Luca after the accommodation at expense of Italian heath system in hospital Saint Luca.

29th January

Well I headed to Firenze as my booking was time limited since hotel could not bold room longer than till 14:00. Here we go Fiesta on the road and me behind steering wheel on the motorway leaving the Luca in not so great weather but slowly as the road progressed the weather cleared a bit for a little while to make the driving easier. Firenze aka Floracne was about 2 to 3 hours from Luca and since the roads were good I could get there on time. Hotel was on the main road beside the canal and only about 30 min walk from Il Duomo. During the check in the hotel manager mentioned that the car park is not free of charge and that I need to pay €20 per day to get a space, upon which we had an argument since I had booked this because of the car park. Well we had discussion and tried to solve this by word ping -pong / table tennis as he said that this it issue of Booking.com and not his and I said that this is not my concern at all. Overall we went to website and there was no mention of car park pay but then we get to my email and there it was small print of T&C where the car park payment was mentioned. He was so nice that he gave me direction to local car park where I can park for €10 for 24 hrs based on the thing that I need to get out of car park before 24hour will expire and enter again which I did and this way I was able to get cheap car park in Firenze. Car in and me out on the walk, stopping at the restaurant near the car park with view on the road leading toward the city center as I learned later I have get a lunch of beautiful pasta carbonara and red wine for some like €10 ad then get into town to find Il Duomo and get tickets for access the cupola next day, then continue through the Ponte Vecchio where are only the jewelry shops for tourist and the whole bridge is looing well from the distance but being on it, did not impress me at all. That could not be said about the lovely narrow streets leading to the bridge what are charming in the evening light with not so much tourists around the walk was really pleasant. Headed towards the Terrazze Michelangelo up steep hill with rest of the sunset seeking tourists. Beautiful walk and slowly gained height until I reached the walls and curvy road leading to Terrazze. AS the distance closing to the Terrazze, numbers of Chinese tourist increased considerably and that was the sign that I’m on the right path 😊 arrived there just few minutes before sunset and tried to find good spot for photo through the forest of selfie sticks. Eventually I found a spot at the wall when the Chinese guy left I took his place quickly and was surprised that I was not swarmed by hordes of Chinese. View was spectacular I had to say. As the sun slowly descended behind the horizon, sun rays started playing with the tiled roofs game of hide and seek and shadows came alive to show the roof tops of Firenze in different light. Also the park on the other side of the river joined this game and trees start casting  long shadows on the grassy ground. Flashes of the cameras and phones went off paparazzi style and the nature played role of the model posing for the photo shoot without any hesitation and showed her true beauty from every angle. Younger generation sat on the steps with great supply of alcohol to increase this experience or just keep them warm as it was not really hot, and my fingers were freezing so quick photo and then hand in the pocket. There is also nice church on the top with beautiful wall paintings and  also ladder what leads to the heaven, nice installation have to say. Took some more photos and then as I was talking to Pat to catch up on situation in Ireland slowly walked around the Terrazze to took some more photos and then slowly descend by narrow lane on the garden side way down to the town for some food. After the sunset the temperature dropped considerably and I felt it so put some energy to my walking and headed to town. Stopped few times to take photos as the city in the dawn with street lights and house lights is different and sometimes the same place can have different feel in the dawn or night. Eventually got into town, headed for market Centrale where is the great food and had a feast of Lampredotto, than continued with beef stew sort of, than liver skewers with potato and finished off with cannoli. What a nice dinner a la Italian style. As the rain started drizzling down I started to look for way to hote as after such dinner I was ready to lay down and sleep, when I was beside nice cocktail bar, thinking to get some drink when Rosa texted me to say hello and gave me some advice what to do or where to go for evening and her first recommendation was actually the bar I was beside of. So I went in get a nice cocktail of fernet and orange sat down in back with view on the whole bar and observe people as they arrived and leaved sipping my drink with two couples sitting beside me in the small foyer they on the double sofa and me on the timber chair behind steel table what is now called vintage otherwise also known as scrap metal.   Drink was gooood so got another one, just in case so I will not limp.. as we say at home drinks going to your legs so amount of drinks need to be balanced 😊 after second great Fernet cocktail I felt that now it is time to get to bed as the dinner settled in belly and with fernet helping to digest I knew that in half an hour I will be good in my bed. Started walking and since I could use the phone as if I was in Ireland I send few texts to friends and then get conversation with Mark since it was raining and my phone is not water proof as well as I was lazy to type and rather talk. We talked and talked, discussing various topics and time flew as when you have good conversation time does not matter and usually flew by really fast. After the phone call was over I realized that my thirty minutes plan to get into bed changed to nearly three hours. Well I collapsed in the bed and fall asleep.

30th January

Had a great sleep, so great that I slept over breakfast so went to straight to town as I needed to take car for spin to get cheap parking, did three laps around car park and parked back, then walked off to town stopping at small coffee shop with Sicilian food since in needed breakfast and coffee, what is exactly what I got plus freshly squeezed glass of orange juice. Fueled and ready to take the town I walked towards the Il duomo as the time of my visit approached, thank God I did not purchased the early morning one as I planned earlier as it will be waist of money. Since the drizzle returned again I went to coffee shop next to Il Duomo got a tea, type a little and then as the time of my entrance was near I went to the line and started queuing for entrance. Thank God the line was not long and I was inside in five and the sight of cupola from below is impressive and the paintings are impressive but not as clear seen with naked eye as you wish. However no time to admire as the access to cupola is cordoned off from the church and you need to move swiftly as people are entering and no more than two can stay beside each other in line. Started to climb up the staircase on the side, what was designed as maintenance access and it was narrow, winding upwards and snake wrapped around the pole. Few people behind me and since they were much slower I had time to stop, admire and take photos since all the road is marked with signs “No Stopping” please keep moving.  Kept moving all the way up to see those beautiful ceiling paintings what are amazing, it is some job, I do not know how they did it but they did and what a beauty ! It was amazing to see what was accomplished in day when no computers were and as the human race is saying that we are developing and progressing It seems to me that it is not real as we cannot replicate the paintings what were done hundred years ago and rather trying to develop technology to do things for us. I would say that we do not use the brain properly since those paintings are amazing and no assistance of any 3D or computer was there. Anyhow walked up and up through narrow corridors all the way to the top is some experience to see brickworks and engineering what is truly amazing. Took some photos in the rain on the top and then get back down. Stopped on the balcony admire the church below and the paintings above and when you see the people below you like little mice you realize the sheer size and height of the cupola. Since it was raining I also went to bell tower to get photo of cupola from the height and also the photos of the bells and system they used for operating them. Then moved to Uffizi gallery stay away from the rain and cold, to see the master pieces of past masters in one place. So much to see there. Since I walked all over I was a bit tired and hungry so I sat down at coffee place and got sandwich, juice and gin tonic after some chat since the first two sandwiches I ordered had run out. Then When I asked when is the closing time was told in one hour and I still had one floor to do I closed laptop and went on to walk the rest of the gallery. Eventually all done and I was out on the streets again, talking to Rosa on the phone and walked through streets admiring the architecture and avoiding American kids, what proved quite challenging and there was more Americans than Italians in Firenze for some reason. Most young girls, either studying or “studying” as they were everywhere and I would say that the European trip is to experience living and not just money making plus the amore is in the air with all those dark handsome Italian guys 😉 Anyway since I was o.k with food and had my laptop with me I went again go the same cocktail bar to get drink and type as the energy in this place was good. Sat in get a Havana rum cocktail and started typing. Funny thing was that the same two couples were there again sitting on the same sofas….. when one of them moved out I took their place on light green sofa and low coffee table with light wall behind me which was not in operation since I plug my laptop into socket instead of the lights. Aperitivo on the  table and laptop on fire I went on and in two drinks the article was born and published. Successful visit to Firenze, one article done, visit to Il Duomo done, Baptistry too, bell tower, sunset and Pont Vecchio too well time to pack the bags and move on. Came to hotel, packed the bags, get into shower and went to bed as I want to wake up early to get breakfast since I will be leaving Firenze tomorrow, not sure where to but that will come to me in the morning.

31st January

Woke up early so went for breakfast down to dungeon in the basement so I felt like at work again 😊 Only me and the waitress, polishing the cutlery / crockery and organizing the bar top with mini one portions jams, butters, pastries etc… I was wondering how busy she can on this surface of one square meter. Well she made me a cappuccino and even smile when my answer to her question “anything else sir” was, yes smile please. Stuffed myself with muesli and yogurt, croissant, fresh fruits and then get to the room pick up my “little” suitcase and headed of to car park where I had to find the car as I did not remember where the heck I parked it. Horayyy I found it, loaded luggage in and went on the road to Venice / Venezia as I have not been there and I had two last days in Italy. Hit the road and as I was leaving the Firenze snow started falling…winter is definitely here in Italy and rally summer tires can start , since they do not using the winter tires here. Got on the phone with Rosa who mentioned that apparently the roads are bad and snow is expected everywhere so we had conversation before she had to disappear to do some work again. Road was nice and as I was approaching Venezia the weather get better and better, sun came out more often and the roads got better too, warning sign of low temperature disappeared from the dashboard so I step on the accelerator and enjoyed the drive. Thanks to Rosa who did some research on accommodation I booked the hotel from the road and therefore saved time on walking around the Venezia in search of room for night. She did not believed when I sent her picture of sunny day and dry road as in Luca was shitty weather and here it was summer Arrived to Venice and parked to the overnight car park for €35 took my back pack and walked to hotel in the sunshine watching the blue sky and sun over me I got why everyone comes here for romantic getaway. The town streets, bridges and canals have some charm especially when the sun is shining and there is not much people on the streets as winter is not really touristic season. However it was a quite lot of people on the streets, cannot imagine what it is like in the summer when is the top season. Glad to be here in January have to say. Streets are confusing and thank God for maps.me, otherwise I would be sleeping on the bridge as it tis impossible to sleep under the bridge without drawing 😊 Dropped the bag at hotel what was 5 min from Square of St Marco and went there to see it all, then up to the tower for a view of Venezia, before walking the pier up and down taking photos and admiring the city, bridges and canals. Found that military base where the boats were produced in peak time of Venezia and it is still military base, then went to pier in search of fresh sea food to celebrate since it is 31st January and found one posh  restaurant with beautiful view and food, served by old waiters of class like form some classic movie. Starter, secondo, half bottle of wine and grappa as dessert. Walked a bit more when I saw advert on night of opera, since I like it I bought ticket and went to hotel for quick snooze before night come. This was intention but Rosa called and therefore I did not snooze but talk and then got quick shower to refresh and head off to the place where famous Giacomo Casanova was held prisoner and now it was used of culture night. Went upstairs to the room where piano was installed with chairs in theatre style with some tourist and some locals sitting in. Tourist easy to spot on as they are not as immaculately dressed as locals. Music and signing was great, nice to have some classical music now and then as for me it is moving when you close your eyes and sink in to it. Amazing end of the day in Venezia as much as the rain started drizzle again as I was on the way to the hotel and now I saw the water coming out from the waste drains up to the streets and the raised walk boards where placed around the square and some streets too. So overall the Venezia was great, sun, food, music, high tide flooding the streets well planned trip. Now hotel as I want to sleep so the morning will come as tomorrow I will meet Rosa in Pisa after long week on my own. Hit the room and bed around midnight after I open window to look at the street below lighted by sings and shop fronts, like from the movie.

              1st Feb woo hoo and Pisa awaits me! Breakfast in the hotel done and now on the road to get car and driving to Pisa ! Weather turned shit as the rain and clouds came so happy to had one day of sunshine in Venezia at least. Hit the road, called Rosa who told me that roads are bad and that I should take motorway since it should be better than any local roads. Well since I had time I took the scenic road to Lake Garda as it was on the way. Nice set up and I could imagine to be there in May as the houses are hiding behind the trees and road is winding through the town towards the caste of Sirmione. Since it was raining, I parked car as close as I can and then then got to town for a merenda of espresso and croissant. Then walked around the lake side take some photos until the battery in camera died, then walk fast to the car from the rain, as it getting heavier and heavier. Called Rosa have chat and then as I was starting driving we finished our call and I hit the road properly because I missed the turn while on the phone. Here I come Pisa 😊 The road was good from the start but then  got worse as the rain turned to snow and temperature dropped down to zero, fog came in in and traffic slowed to 40km/h due the weather condition and the height as the road is going through mountains. This was completely different than the previous day but at least I had both sun and snow on the road. Slowly I progressed toward Pisa and admire the real winter on the summer tires 😊 Eventually arrived to guest house waited for a moment for girl to come with keys, checked In and run to post office send my winter gear to Ireland so I do not need to carry it with me. Good helpful lady and Rosa on the phone helped me to solve this issue with packing and payment and I was off to found some food since I had only one panini at petrol station whole day. Thanks to Rosa guidance she send me to the great restaurant not far from the airport and I was the only customer there, for 10 min then the restaurant get full and every seat was taken. Food was traditional and fantastic, in case you are in Pisa definitely go to the La Bottega Del Parco or www.ristorobottegadelparco.it Stuff myself with great Italian food while talking to Italian friend Gianni and then drove back to guest house to wait for my room mate :-p Well that is all to be said here as the night is here and tomorrow we are leaving for Thailand.