Ciao Florence

After a delayed departure from Frankfurt. My mom and I arrived in the Renaissance City at 1:30. Looking at the bright green hillsides and the familair buildings brought back all my memories of this place. I warned my mom before we got to Dei Mori, that there were a lot - A LOT - of stairs leading up to the second floor. That didn't stop her from tying to help with bags, though, despite my telling her to stay put. I paid the hotel bill today - no going to the ATM to get out money for that and I loved the sound of the 15% cash discount. It's hot and a bit muggy, so the a/c got turned on immediately.

I unpacked us and then we headed to the streets surrounding the b&b. According to her odometer, she and I walked 2.18 miles today. Hunger was calling and I didn't keep it waiting. We stopped at our first outdoor cafe and had some mineral water and an incredible mozzarella and pomadoro sandwich. Bar Giudici over looks the Arno River and has scooters zipping and zig zagging away from the pedestrians. It's classic Italian right down to the old man chain smoking a pack of camel cigarettes a few tables away. I'll tell you right now, there's going to be a lot of food descriptions on here and today it starts with that sandwich. The tomato was as if it were completely made of water, soft, juicy, red and oozing its juice over the fresh mozzarella between the toasted bread- the mid afternoon snack hit the spot.  We couldn't resist the straciatella gelato down the block either. Gelato shops are like pasty shops in Paris. Every corner brings a new one and every new one looks more amazing than the last.

We've made it back to our B&B and once again, just as in Paris, Rosemarie has fallen asleep. I'm right behind her, actually. It's taken me far too long to get all this down. I'll nap and then head out to dinner - there's a few places we passed on our walk that all looked insanely good.