Italian Christmas and Birthday - Part 2

After a very good nights sleep and a good breakfast we decided to go out for a brisk walk, and brisk is the word as it was still zero! This is the view to the right of the hotel and it was a glorious bright sunny day and sun glasses were needed! it had snowed quite heavily only a couple of days prior so there was still quite a bit left by the time we got there.

We decided to visit the Musei Fiorentini which we have not had the chance to visit before. For the designers amongst you or those of you that just like to see something pretty and think 'how on earth did they manage to do that?' then these pictures are for you. Some of these will be used for my Christmas cards next year and I intend to use some for note cards that i want to put in my online shops at some point. So here goes.....

A beautiful ceiling which had everyone in the room staring upwards and 'ooooing' over it.

This ceiling was stunning and the picture here is not as bright as the actual ceiling. This is only a section of the ceiling as I wanted to zoom close enough so that you could see the detail.

Painted directly onto a wooden ceiling.

There were lots of items to look at including this lovely shaped chair!

This was the view that we found out of one of the windows as we were walking round. Very festive looking and eye-catching.

On the way out we saw this lovely twinkling tree, there were lots of Christmas trees all over the place even in very cold, draughty stone courtyard on your way out of the museum.

We then decided to have a walk around the Duomo and Campanile which Sophie was astonished to see these buildings. We then got some lunch and decided to walk along some of the side streets which Hubby and I have not managed to see in previous visits.

By the restaurant was this lovely carousel which was there three years ago and Sophie was delighted and remembered it. She is riding one of the horses but I was not quick enough with the camera. This was here three years ago as well and Sophie does remember it. This was the first ride of several that she had that week.

We decided to have a walk along the Ponte Vecchio which is lined on both sides with jewellery shops. We would come back here later in the week. There is a lot of history linked to this bridge and it was the only bridge along the River Arno which was not bombed during the War. you may be surprised to learn that the arches in the centre of the bridge were originally designed to allow garbage to be tipped directly into the Arno and that the shops were originally butchers and fish mongers who would want to get rid of any waste. Then it was home to the tanners who soaked their hides before tanning them in horse's urine. In 1593 Grand Duke Ferdinando I, found that he did not like the smells and noises from the shops on the bridge so he banished the butchers and fishmongers and installed 50 jewelers and goldsmiths instead, many of whose descendants still trade. Not the best picture but it was starting to get very dull and we were getting rather cold by this time so it was back to the hotel for a shower then out for dinner somewhere.

Tomorrow I shall show you some of the lights there were everywhere in the centre of Florence and the many side streets.

Take Care and keep warm.

xx