pancakes & bananas?: 20 Aug Morning Florentine Tour

wow. had a hard time waking up today. But you can't miss the free breakfast and walking tour! I feel that Archi Rosi really gives you the bang for your buck. I wouldn't say breakfast was awesome but at least it kept Vern from being hungst till after noon. haha. Our walking tour brought us around the river side to places like Basillica di Santa Maria Novella (identified by its crest as a sun) and Ponte Santa Trinta to name a few.

Florentine architecture is greatly influenced by the renaissance period and many renaissance buildings can be easily identified by their huge grey columns spaced evenly from each other giving such beautiful geometry. Was a beautiful morning to walk around but it got hotter towards noon. what else to cool down with a cup of authentic gelato at Gelateria Santa Trinita (Lungarno Guicciardini 1), one of Florence oldest and highly rated gelato! Apparently you can tell good gelato from how they're displayed in the shops. A good one would put the gelato in a metal container instead of a plastic one. Try their fruit flavors here. Its all refreshing and good! The original flavor is cream but its nothing fantastic.

Ended the tour at Palazzo Pitti, the biggest palace built by the Pitti family to show the Medici family that they weren't the richest and most influential family in Florence. However, the irony was that they ran out of money before its completion and was bought over by the Medici family. Headed for da bao lunch at the Roasteria. Machiam like chup chai peng. Sweet and sour pork, fried rice, fried prawns, giant chicken thigh and more for 4 euros/pax! The aunty selling to us was chinese and maybe gave us more discount haha.

I guess its too hot to do anything today. 39 degrees. time for a tactical break.