Tour group reprieve

A week into the tour, and Buddy and I felt a need to venture out a bit for our own exploration of Florence. Don't get me wrong, we were beginning to get to know our fellow travellers quite well, and for the most part, enjoying their company...most of the time. Still, the routine of a schedule and the need for a quiet meal or two as a twosome was looming large.

Actually, Buddy and I boycotted both Florence group dinners, opting instead for a quaint dinner in a highly recommended "hole in the wall" trattoria called Le Mossacce on the first evening in Florence. We had been warned not to let the multi-lingual menus, paper tablecloths, and chaos deter us; we were not mistaken - great food and a fully packed restaurant the entire time we were there.

So, after a tour of Santa Croce, we broke off from the group and its touring of gold and leather shops, and relaxed during lunch over a bowl of minestrone soup, a plate of pasta, and a glass of wine, as we lunched outside on the Piazza della Signore and did a little people watching.

After wandering the streets of Florence for the better part of the afternoon, we stumbled into the Piazza della Repubblica and dined for supper in front of the Arch della Repubblica.



Again, more pasta, red wine, and an evening serenade by a gypsy quintet rounded out the evening.