Which is too bad because I am waiting in line to get into the Uffizi and will probably be here a while. I got here before 10 in the hope that I would get in before noon. Not sure how likely that is. So it would be a good time to write a blog but I probably won't get far before my battery will run out. Now apparently.
So I inadvertently ended up in Florence on a holiday weekend. If possible I would suggest avoiding doing that. I'm sure places like the Uffizi are always busy but the crowds were just insane. Of course avoiding the holidays means being aware of when they are. Which I was not.
So I haven't really told you anything about Italy yet have I? Well I started in Genova. It was raining. Rather a lot. And since my hostel was 2 bus rides out of the city I decided that I could just stay in that evening and listen to the rain. So I did. The next day I spent the morning exploring the city. My verdict would be not worth going out of your way to see it. It's a fine place to stop to avoid spending an entire day on a train but there isn't really anything spectacular. Though it is the home of pesto. But since you can get genovese pesto elsewhere it's probably not necessary to go out of your way to get there. So I didn't stay long. Caught an afternoon train to Venice. Which was everything I thought it would be. Surprising in a place that's been so overly romanticised. I had just under 24 hours in the city so I started early in the morning so that I could get lost nice and early and have plenty of time to get found again. Which was surprisingly effective. I found the big piazza san marco and the guggenheim. Got my self a bit lost again then found the big bridge with the shops (don't remember what it's called). Mostly I just meandered the streets enjoying the city.
But I had to leave for Bologna in the evening so I headed back to the train station.
Bologna was... a mission. All of the reasonably priced accommodation is a half hour bus ride out of the city. And I'd messed up my booking so I had to swap from one really hard to get to place to the other for my second night. Which resulted in other issues. So not the best time in Bologna even though it is a lovely city. Mostly because I felt like I spent half my time lugging heavy bags and sitting (or more often standing) on buses. But it is a very nice city so don't judge it on my difficulties.
Next stop was Florence. Had an incredibly difficult time (and a minor break down) getting there but the hostel I was staying at was amazing and made my day instantly better. Like I said, it's a holiday weekend so everything was very crowded. And crowds have a tendency to make me impatient so I didn't go into many of the sights but they looked pretty from the outside. The first day I just walked aimlessly. Found the market and bought some sunglasses. Found the duomo and the uffizi but didn't go in. Decided I couldn't be bothered climbing the hill then and that I would do the piazza michelangelo the next morning. But then I didn't. The hostel had free tuscan wine and snacks each night and bunch of us stayed up somewhat late talking and enjoying the free sustenance (if chips can be called sustenance). And then I started very slowly the next day and despite getting up before 9 didn't actually leave until almost 11. With the train to Siena leaving just after noon. So I didn't have time to climb the hill.
Siena was very pretty but also packed. Seemed like the entire region decided to head to Siena on a sunday afternoon. I didn't do anything specific. Just wandered the town. Which is very pretty. But mostly closed because it was Sunday.
The next day I started as early as I could because I had heard that the lines for the Uffizi took about 2 hours. I got in after about 2 hours 20. They seem to have one of the slowest security systems I've every seen and despite having hundreds if not thousands of people through in a day they only have one turnstile. Not the most efficient system. And when I did get in there were so many people I couldn't get near some of the art. So I only stayed for about an hour. After that I headed to the piazza michelangelo which is up a hill and has great views of the city. And a bronze copy of the David. Maybe this is a question I'm not meant to ask, maybe it will make me sound stupid, but what is so special about the David? I realise I only saw copies but is the original really that much better? not that it isn't a nice piece of sculpture but it's made out to be so amazing. Was it groundbreaking techniques? Because I studied greek art and there were sculptures that to my untrained eye looked just as realistic and detailed and amazing being made in the 5th century BC. So could one of you arty people let me know what I was meant to be seeing?
Anyway... Then stuff... Went to a grocery store. Good thing too because everything is closed today since it's the official holiday. And caught a train to Perugia.
It's a pretty place. They have a market going on in the city today. Not sure if it's a one day holiday event or something more long term. But the supermarkets are closed so I had to buy my food at the speciality stalls in and around the market.
I went into the cathedral and managed to catch the end of mass. Suppose it's not surprising since it is after all a religious holiday. Apparently all of Europe thinks all saints day is worth having off. We barely even knew when it was at home.
Now I am sitting on the edge of the fountain in the main square watching the world go by and writing my promised update. Which I will hopefully be able to post when I get back to the hostel. There. All caught up. No more complaints.
I've even (hopefully) added a photo because I know there haven't been a lot of those since Catie left with her laptop. So I took a photo of a view from Perugia just for you.
So I inadvertently ended up in Florence on a holiday weekend. If possible I would suggest avoiding doing that. I'm sure places like the Uffizi are always busy but the crowds were just insane. Of course avoiding the holidays means being aware of when they are. Which I was not.
So I haven't really told you anything about Italy yet have I? Well I started in Genova. It was raining. Rather a lot. And since my hostel was 2 bus rides out of the city I decided that I could just stay in that evening and listen to the rain. So I did. The next day I spent the morning exploring the city. My verdict would be not worth going out of your way to see it. It's a fine place to stop to avoid spending an entire day on a train but there isn't really anything spectacular. Though it is the home of pesto. But since you can get genovese pesto elsewhere it's probably not necessary to go out of your way to get there. So I didn't stay long. Caught an afternoon train to Venice. Which was everything I thought it would be. Surprising in a place that's been so overly romanticised. I had just under 24 hours in the city so I started early in the morning so that I could get lost nice and early and have plenty of time to get found again. Which was surprisingly effective. I found the big piazza san marco and the guggenheim. Got my self a bit lost again then found the big bridge with the shops (don't remember what it's called). Mostly I just meandered the streets enjoying the city.
But I had to leave for Bologna in the evening so I headed back to the train station.
Bologna was... a mission. All of the reasonably priced accommodation is a half hour bus ride out of the city. And I'd messed up my booking so I had to swap from one really hard to get to place to the other for my second night. Which resulted in other issues. So not the best time in Bologna even though it is a lovely city. Mostly because I felt like I spent half my time lugging heavy bags and sitting (or more often standing) on buses. But it is a very nice city so don't judge it on my difficulties.
Next stop was Florence. Had an incredibly difficult time (and a minor break down) getting there but the hostel I was staying at was amazing and made my day instantly better. Like I said, it's a holiday weekend so everything was very crowded. And crowds have a tendency to make me impatient so I didn't go into many of the sights but they looked pretty from the outside. The first day I just walked aimlessly. Found the market and bought some sunglasses. Found the duomo and the uffizi but didn't go in. Decided I couldn't be bothered climbing the hill then and that I would do the piazza michelangelo the next morning. But then I didn't. The hostel had free tuscan wine and snacks each night and bunch of us stayed up somewhat late talking and enjoying the free sustenance (if chips can be called sustenance). And then I started very slowly the next day and despite getting up before 9 didn't actually leave until almost 11. With the train to Siena leaving just after noon. So I didn't have time to climb the hill.
Siena was very pretty but also packed. Seemed like the entire region decided to head to Siena on a sunday afternoon. I didn't do anything specific. Just wandered the town. Which is very pretty. But mostly closed because it was Sunday.
The next day I started as early as I could because I had heard that the lines for the Uffizi took about 2 hours. I got in after about 2 hours 20. They seem to have one of the slowest security systems I've every seen and despite having hundreds if not thousands of people through in a day they only have one turnstile. Not the most efficient system. And when I did get in there were so many people I couldn't get near some of the art. So I only stayed for about an hour. After that I headed to the piazza michelangelo which is up a hill and has great views of the city. And a bronze copy of the David. Maybe this is a question I'm not meant to ask, maybe it will make me sound stupid, but what is so special about the David? I realise I only saw copies but is the original really that much better? not that it isn't a nice piece of sculpture but it's made out to be so amazing. Was it groundbreaking techniques? Because I studied greek art and there were sculptures that to my untrained eye looked just as realistic and detailed and amazing being made in the 5th century BC. So could one of you arty people let me know what I was meant to be seeing?
Anyway... Then stuff... Went to a grocery store. Good thing too because everything is closed today since it's the official holiday. And caught a train to Perugia.
It's a pretty place. They have a market going on in the city today. Not sure if it's a one day holiday event or something more long term. But the supermarkets are closed so I had to buy my food at the speciality stalls in and around the market.
I went into the cathedral and managed to catch the end of mass. Suppose it's not surprising since it is after all a religious holiday. Apparently all of Europe thinks all saints day is worth having off. We barely even knew when it was at home.
Now I am sitting on the edge of the fountain in the main square watching the world go by and writing my promised update. Which I will hopefully be able to post when I get back to the hostel. There. All caught up. No more complaints.
I've even (hopefully) added a photo because I know there haven't been a lot of those since Catie left with her laptop. So I took a photo of a view from Perugia just for you.
Lovely to see a photo to go with the holiday story. was unable to see Cates. Sounds like trip is going well and you are getting to lots of towns plus seeing a few trains. cheers Elinor
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