30,000 Steps

The walking tour continues! A fake David statue sits outside the Palazzo Vecchio. As I was taking its photo, a man approached me and showed me his camera display of the lion’s head (pictured below) strategically placed ‘eating’ the fake David’s manhood. He told me exactly where to stand in order to get the same shot. So of course, I did.

Adjacent to the Palazzo Vecchio is an art museum called the Uffizi Gallery, and passerby can walk freely through the center of its magnificent courtyard to the Arno river.

Uffizi Gallery

The Arno River that runs through the city is beautiful from afar. But up close, the water is actually quite murky and green. It still makes for a colorful reflection shot!

The feet of the light poles lining the river are literal feet.

The Alps can be seen beyond the vanishing point of the river.

The Ponte Vecchio bridge is the only bridge that was not destroyed during World War II, after people begged for Hitler to let it be. Now, expensive shops occupy the old buildings.

Firenze is scattered with tons of piazzas, or plazas. Almost every few turns opens up into a different plaza.

Mopeds, or Vespas, are widely used in Florence; perfect for maneuvering through the narrow streets occupied by both cars and pedestrians.

It’s not a proper trip to Italy without walking through a leather market. Florence is filled with markets, leather shoe stores, and persuasive vendors trying to sell their products. We zig-zagged our way through the markets and window shopped from one shoe store to the next.

Entrance to a leather market.

One of many handmade leather shoe stores.

Because Anna and I both share an overwhelming love and appreciation for food, she took me to the Mercato Centrale. There, customers can buy fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh pasta and bread, salami, cheese, meat and fish.