Florence

We left our hotel in Rome around 830. We drove to Florence and found our hotel. We then just started exploring. What a beautiful city. Florence is the home of Renaissance art. Michelangelo is from here. The Medici family ruled the area and sponsored the start of art. We had lunch then visited the Duomo, the square, then just explored. 

This is the street from hotel to the Duomo. 

Emerging from the street you can see the side of the church, three different marbles used give it a "noisy" exterior. 

This is the north side. Up close it seems overwhelming. 

Inside felt much different than the mosques we had seen in Istanbul. 

The spine of the chapel. 

Many statues inside. Many more outside. 

The painting inside the Duomo dome. This picture fails to capture how high, how big, how interesting, and how breathtaking it was. I also felt my life hadn't accomplished much after being here. 

South side of the Duomo. 

Zoom of inside of dome. 

 Alter. 

This clock is opposite the alter and runs backwards... Cool huh?

These doors are gold. They took 40 yeRs to carve. 

This is the Uffuzzi   It is the Italian Louvre. I probably enjoyed it more. I did have a gelato just before going in. 

The piazza outside Uffuzi. 

That is a head. 

Bridget did her thesis on Machiavelli 

Bridge over river. 

Full of jewelry. 

Inside the art gallery. 

I hate stepping in Thorns too! But I usually have clothes on. 

View from Piazza de Michelangelo. 

At sunset. 

We sat on these steps and listened to an Italian guy sing phonetically to American rich songs. 

The car from the mentalist. 

A church. At night. 

Rome

We left Istanbul for Rome. Flight was nice. Much shorter and they still fed us. We landed, got our rental car, and drove through the city to our hotel. First night we ate pizza near the Vatican! So good. Then we got Gelato!

Love the Fiat

Wierd four wheel motorcycle. 

St. Peter's at night. 

Sistine Chapel exterior. 

Istanbul

We went to Istanbul on a 24 hour lay over to Rome. Long story. Basically Turkish Airlines is cheap if you have a one night layover. After a 12 hour overnight flight complete with Turkush Delight, two full good meals, hours of movies, and cramped economy seating, we landed in Istanbul. The only thing I knew about Istanbul before coming was that it was once Constantinople, and that that's where Condorman met the Russian spy who defected. 

We got off the plane at 4pm. Dropped our bags off, and got a cab. We thought we were going to the grand Bazzaar. When we got there we were disappointed until we realized the cab dropped us off at the Blue Mosque. We took a tour from a tired emphysematic Turk who loved to point out the six  towers. This is the third largest mosque in the world. It was built over 6 years in 1610 by 6,000 slaves.  

But first an obelisk 

Blue Mosque enterance. 

Women can't go inside without their hair and knees covered. I didn't ask about hairy knees, and bald women. 

Inside

This is the Haggia Sophia. We saw that the next day  

We took a cab over to a dinner cruise with belly dancing. 

The dancer asked Brian, of all people, to dance with him. 

Funny as heck. 

We got back to hotel at 1 am. We got up next am at 8 and left for grand bazzaar. Bridget bought soap, and Turkish delight, we were very tempted to share our new soap with many many many locals, but we did not want to share our delight. 

Outside Bazaar looking back. 

We headed to the Cistern. This was also very cool. 

Medusa head upside down. My guess: they got it in place. Realized their mistake, then hoped the foreman wouldn't notice. 

Selfie in the cistern. 

After cisterns, we went to Haggia Sophia. Basically an old Christian church made into mosque made into a museum. 

They had sherbet!

Rameumptum!

Dates back to 1000 I believe. 

Coca cola