Florence

I was a bit at loose ends in Florence. While my last trip was extremely quick, it was thorough and I saw most of the main sights. This time, I decided to take it easy and go see some of my faves and anything I missed out. This involved getting up at the crack of dawn to go to the Uffizi.

Long time readers of this blog may remember that last time, I had to do the entire place in 90 minutes because I had at train to catch. This time, we gave it the entire day and planned to get up bright and early at 6:30am, arrive around 7:30, thus beating the usual queue . The best laid plans...out sleep was first thwarted by a crowd of rowdy Americans who were staying next door, and then by some incredibly horny cats. Anyway, we did managed to get there around 7:55, but this was the queue outside the doors.

Lydia is actually standing at what was the end when we arrived, about 1-200m away from the door. It got longer too!

But a good time was spent inside - about three hours!

We then went to a restaurant that seems to be widely regarded as the best in Florence by many guidebooks/articles etc. We had the specialty - bistecca all Fiorentina, 900g of T bone steak, seasoned with herbs and lemon and grilled over an open flame. Ooooh yeah. Both of us ordered it and the waiter seemed very distressed that two little asian girls were going to have a first course followed by that giant hunk o' meat.

This was how it started out

And this was the result after I'd been through it.

It was great - medium rare so that pink juices flowed out when it was cut. The meat, so soft and tender. I totally would have chewed the bone if I were at home. As it were, I just had to be satisfied with the amazement of other customers.

Then I went home and passed out for a few hours.