6/14/2018 0 Comments May 16On Wednesday we woke up bright and early and completed our culture test in the hotel lobby. Afterwards, we visited the San Lorenzo Leather Market. Unfortunately, the weather was very gloomy and rainy, which was not a good day at all for leather. Florence Tip #8: Pack for any type of weather, no matter the season. I was lucky that almost 80% of the time it had rained unexpectedly I had my umbrella with me. You can purchase really compact, light models at any Target, Walmart or even amazon. Also, don't expect the weather to be sunny and Spring-appropriate every where you go in Italy. It was hot most of the time in Rome and the perfect, sunny beach weather in Sorrento and Capri, but Florence was COLD. My one regret the entire trip was not bringing an extra sweater, but I was thankful for the Zicam (homeopathic cold shortener) that saved me from sickness. I was surprisingly very well-behaved at the leather market. I didn't buy anything, but I did find a lot of joy in helping my friends with their purchases (and bargaining). If you decide to go to the leather market, which is another Florentine specialty, make sure you brush up a little on your bargaining/haggling skills. If you really like something, know when to buckle down, but never buy a bag there for the original price. In Italy, artisanship is very respected and importance to commerce. Many of the vendors are selling hand-crafted, artisan bags but most of them will be selling you something well-made but mass produced. Afterwards, we visited the Palazzo Vecchio, the historical town hall of Florence. Built between the 13th and 14th centuries, it overlooks the Piazza della Signoria and has a copy of Michelangelo's David statue as well as a gallery of statues. Fun fact: parts of the movie 'Inferno' were filmed here. We ended the day on San Miniato al Monte, a beautiful church on a hill overlooking Florence, giving us one of the most picturesque views we had seen on the trip. After, a bunch of us picked up some pizza and ate it outside of a museum courtyard. It was a good group bonding moment.
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