Operation Cycle Tuscany: Day 3 - Florence

The Creator made Italy from designs by Michelangelo.

                                                                                            – Mark Twain

We hit the road running, bright and early, trying to avoid the crowds at the Duomo that we had seen yesterday.  We were successful at avoiding the crowds since the Duomo was closed (since it's a church, it's closed on Sunday, rather than Monday like most sights in Italy)!  Fortunately, though, the Campanile (bell tower of the Piazza del Duomo) was open, and rather empty, so we climbed!  After quite a bit of huffing, puffing, and claustrophobia, we reached the "top"!  We were astounded at the view, and caught our breath when we realized we were only at the top of the first of 4 levels of the tower! (see the first set of windows).

We kept climbing, legs and lungs burning, as the stairway got narrower and narrower, and more winding as we went.  At one stair landing/resting point a young woman made a striking observation: "You can't live in Italy if you are lactose intolerant, claustrophobic, or afraid of heights!"  Too true.

Mimi - remembering she is claustrophobic!

After a climb of 414 steps (277.7 feet), we reached the (real) top of the tower.  The view was incredible, and worth the effort!  

Our second 414 steps (down) were pretty hard on these old knees, so Chris & Jeanne went a little ahead of Mimi and me.  When we got to the bottom several minutes later, we looked across to the Piazza & found them just where we knew they'd be:

Nothing beats a Perone at 10 a.m. in Firenze!

After a rest and a drink, we were off to the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens.  Another climb to the top of the gardens brought us another spectacular view of the city, and plenty of exercise!  I was worried about the lack of training before the beginning of our ride tomorrow, but, not to worry.  We've walked and climbed so much the past few days, we'll be ready to go!

Okay.  This says only 5.03 miles, but does not represent the 414 steps up (and back down) the Campanile, nor the additional 150 foot climb to the top of Boboli Gardens!

P.S.  Just a little added information regarding yesterday's explorations: We walked to the beautiful Basilica di Santa Croce (the resting place of Michelangelo, Giotto, and Galileo, among others), but it was closed "due to the event."  There was an obvious police presence all around the area, and by the time we finished lunch, many streets had been closed and we were re-routed.  We saw some grandstands being assembled, and Jeanne assured us that it was a rodeo (?!?!).  After a comment from a friend on Facebook said she envied us being here during the World Cup, and on a day Italy was playing in Brazil, we realized the "rodeo" was actually a set-up to view Italy's (victorious) World Cup game.  Oops.  Stupid Americans.

P.P.S.  My luggage arrived!  Hooray.  I did not have to wear my bike "costume" all around Florence for 3 days!