DAY 5 JULY 21 FLORENCE

We spent 2 nights in Florence ..(Italian is Firenze) is the capital city of the region of Tuscany. And after breakfast early morning we were taken by our Lorcal Guide to the ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS which housed Michelangelo's celebrated David and then to the magnificent CATHEDRAL.. See the long queue ...even though it is soooooo early in the morning...and outside the entrance whilst waiting many hawkers were trying to sell their "printed copies of art"..all along the street floors...

Here again we were given our 'ear pieces' see the red strapes round our necks??? Queuing to go into the museum...

This narrow street leads us into the domed cathedral of the City Santa Santa Maria del Fiore known as the Duoma, and the nearby Campanile tower and the Baptistery building .

Florence Duoma, the best known site and crowning architectural jewel of Florence!!!!!!!

As mumsie enter this place it is like going into one Big Museum but actually we are on the street outside the building!!!!

Spectacular sight!!!!!!! One of the gates of the Baptistery

Look we are still outside the building!!!

At the background of this picture is the "Gate of Paradise" which is one of the gates of the Baptistery

Each individual panel on the doors is a major piece of art, all of them depiciting scenes from the Old Testament..

We were told by our guide that Michelangelo stood before the Gate and declared that this is the "Gate of Paradise"

The Bell Tower is at the fine end which has 460 steps to the top...and we don't have enough time to climb up there...for a panorama view of the city

Now mumsie understand why Florence is one of Italy's "BIG THREE" tourist destination along with Venice and Rome. It has great churches and world class art museum;;we can only admired the Bell Tower from the ground...

Even the shop window's display is beautiful!!

Look BATA shop! But Italy's Bata shop sells more things not only shoes but handbags, dresses and sunglasses all labelled 'BATA'

Walking around Florence is like walking in a Big Museum

Then we were taken to another "square" ..think is Piazza della Signorria where we were able to take photos of Michelangelo's David...The real one is out of bound for photography ...a replica of the real statue as the original was moved indoors to the Academy of Art

This is a square rich with "delights"

Michelangelo created this colosal stute of DAVID one of the most renowned works of the Renaisance....!!!!! The statue symbolizes triumph over tyranny.

"The Rape of the Sabine Women " No this is not by Michelangelo....by Giambollogna.. We were told that this famous statue were carved from A SINGLE BLOCK OF MARBLE!!!

The Florence of Dante

Then in the afternoon we were taken by the local guide to the UFFIZI GALLERY (Optional tour) one of the finest art galleries in the world- founded on a large Medci family. It houses the world's greatest collection of Italian and Florentine art by Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli and Michelangelo.

Whilst queuing to go into the UFFIZI..quite a few buskers

were "operating" around the place.

See they are quite good.....

Another 'scenic' photo from the UFFIZE window

Whilst inside the Uffizi we were not allowed to take photos but at one of the windows we were able to take beutiful scenic pictures...of the Arno River

The famous Arno River of Florence with its famous bridge....Ponti Vechio Bridge

We gotta walk along this long long long bridge in the hot sun with no shelter back to our coach...temperature is about 40 degrees!!!!!

But along the bridge we can get nice 'scenic' photos lkie this .

Well this is the end of our 5th day....mumsie is very very slow and behind with mumsie's Italian Blog....gotta share this computer with Dadda...who is spending quite some time transferring his video pics and also to edit it...seems there is some 'technical' problem....So be patient the rest of the holidays pics will come in due time!!!