Italy, Switzerland, and How We Wound Up in Brooklyn

June 6

(I'm working on the pictures!)

We got up early today, showered in our open bathroom getting everything soaking wet, and ate our granola bars. We did not discover until later this week that our breakfast was included with our room. We then walked to an ATM, which we thought ate our card (thank goodness it did not) and then headed to the Galleria di Academia.

Luckily we already had reservations and were able to get into a much shorter line to get inside. Inside were many paintings and sculptures. Dave and I are not much into art and did not know that sculptures were first done in plaster and then finished in another medium like marble. Then we saw The David, which was our whole reason for going to Academia. It was amazing! Pictures don’t do it justice. It must have been 15 feet tall and every inch was fully detailed. This museum was well worth the trip just to see The David.

In the afternoon we had reservations at the Uffizi Museum but between reservations we had a little time so we went to the cathedral and climbed the stairs to the top of the bell tower. The staircase up the tower was very narrow. Whenever someone needed to pass, both parties needed to hug the wall to get by. The bell tower was so tall there were three levels to look out of before getting to the top. It made for good resting points. The view from the top was amazing. Check out the pictures.

Around noon we went to the Uffizi. Lucky again, we had reservations. There was a huge line for those who didn’t and those people who were waiting were waiting for reservations for the next day. The Uffizi was huge and took us almost three hours to get through. Most of the paintings were renaissance paintings, many from such painters as Michelangelo, Raphael, Da Vinci, etc. My favorite was the “Birth of Venus”.

For dinner we went to Acqua Al 2, which, funny enough, also has a location in San Diego. I had a cheese and mushroom cannelloni and Dave had farfalline which is bowtie pasta with zucchini. Dinner is an all evening event in Italy. Most restaurants do not even open until 7:30 and if you do not go at that time, mostly likely you will need a reservation. The dinner starts with a bottle of wine, which is always presented and tasted before poured for everyone. Then it’s bread and/or appetizers. The primo dish is a pasta dish. The secando dish is usually a meat. And finally there is dessert. The serving staff will allow you to sit all night long and enjoy the atmosphere if you so choose. Otherwise you need to ask for your bill if you wish to leave. Tipping is sometimes included in your bill so make sure to check. There is also a service fee included which covers bread, etc. We saw many Americans frustrated with the speed of service or shall I say, lack there of. It’s important to remember to be patient and enjoy the experience. There’s nowhere else to go really. Everything else closes for dinner.