We had two museums we wanted to visit today, the Bargello and the Galileo Science Museum. Both are close early on Saturdays and are closed all day on Sundays.
After breakfast in the hotel we headed out, making our way towards the Bargello Museum.
Brandon checks the map to see which way we should go.
Our hotel for two nights
Katrina uses Brandon as a subject outside the Baptistry.
The Duomo, Santa Maria del Fiore. This Gothic cathedral has the third largest nave in Christendom. The outside facade is from the 1870's and is made of pink, green and white Tuscan marble.
The Bargello (Museo Nazionale) is located in a former police station turned prison that looks like a mini Palazzo Vecchio. Inside is Donatello's David, works by Michelangelo and rooms of Medici treasures. The room with the Michelangelo sculptures did not allow photography. The following statues are located around the inner courtyard.
This sculpture reminded Brandon and I of Aslan, from the Narnia series.
Our next stop was the Galileo Science Museum, located a few blocks away, near the riverfront.
Florence is full of scooters and they are parked everywhere!
This museum highlights the science that flourished in Florence after the visual arts began to decline in the 1600's. Located inside are many Renaissance and later clocks, telescopes, maps, and various gadgets. This museum is also proud of its famous bottles, containing Galileos' index, thumb and middle fingers, as well as one of this teeth. Why? I'm not sure?
Gears of a large clock
We exited the science museum around lunch time. Katrina thought we should eat at a restaurant she had eaten lunch at on our first visit to Florence last year. The restaurant is located in Piazza Signoria.
Look at all the people and tour groups. This piazza was packed!
Brandon reads through his newly purchased science fact book while we wait for our lunch to be served.
After lunch we walked over to Ponte Vecchio. This area is also packed with tourists. Katrina and Brandon enjoyed some gelato along the way.
View of the Arno River
Katrina and Brandon on the Ponte Vecchio
Brandon's new Nintendo DSi has a camera. He can take pictures of whats around him or of himself. Here is his trying to get a pic of himself on Ponte Vecchia
Two interesting displays of graffiti I found while wandering the back streets of Florence.
This afternoon Brandon spotted a photography museum listed in his Florence for Kids book. We found it near the train station and Katrina decided to check it out. Brandon and I headed back to the room to deposit a bag of things we had purchased, then headed to a toy store/hobby shop near the Duomo. I wanted to check out the trains for sale and Brandon wanted to check out the Lego section.
Brandon was amazed at the size of this bear and wanted me to take a picture of him.
He also liked this tiger made out of Legos.
We met Katrina near the Duomo then wandered the streets shopping for Florentine paper shops.
Another view of the Duomo, with Giotto's Tower on the right.
Near the Uffizi Gallery, we spotted these locks on the chains along the riverbank. We've seen these all over Italy and many places in Europe. Lovers will add lock their love to the railing then throw the key into the water.
The Ponte Vecchio in the evening light.
More scooters parked along the riverfront.
And another view of Ponte Vecchio
Our feet were tired and I had more bags to carry from shopping, so we headed back to the room for an early evening break. Around 8:30 or so, we went to dinner that the Chinese restaurant again. We are really going to miss the Chinese food here in Italy.
Tomorrow we will have several more hours in Florence before catching the train in the late afternoon.
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