Freezing in Firenze

Florence, day two of two. I'm up and at 'em early, hitting the sights like a man who witnessed a twenty year old across the street last night but went to bed alone. A quick sidewalk breakfast of a cappucino and a roll, and, in no particular order, I visit:

• Museum San Marco (old monestary with loads of Fra Angelico frescos, also the home of Salvadore, the bishop who ousted the Medicis from power, then took on the Pope and ended up hung and burned to a crisp in front of the cheering masses)
• Medici Chapel (Medici family basically ran Florence and helped usher in the Renaissance through support of scientists and humanist artists), with more Michaelangelo scuptures
• Uffiti Gallery, the big art museum in Florence. Home of the Birth of Venus. You know, the one with the hot chick in a clam.
• Duomo Baptistry (frescos and some of the first art that utilized mathematically created perspective drawing)
• Duomo Museum (more art)
• Museum of Science, with loads of medieval and Rennaisance science, including a bunch of Galileo stuff. Like his finger! Preserved like a Saint's relic! Something for the secular. I even broke the rules and took my picture with it. To be posted later. Or made into a shrine in the corner of my office.
• The Ponte Vecchio (bridge) with young lovers and gold merchants and locks on the gate (a gate at the middle of the bridge is loaded with locks inscribed with lovers' names; the guy locks it to the gate and throws the key into the river to symbolize the never ending affection. Except for the one or two combination locks)
• The Pitti Palace (yet more art)
• Some Internet updating
• Another big dinner
• Bed

OK. I'm dull Even I wish that Sussex would keep a blog. With pictures.

So, remember how cold it was? It just gets worse. This is a bone chilling cold, rushing down the Tuscan valleys from the north. Or something to that effect, as noted in my Michaelangelo novel. I finally give in and buy a new hat (toque) and gloves. What trendy Italian brands did i find? That would be, Levi and Champion. The added warmth was needed and fully appreciated. After all, my across-the-street friend has left the shutters closed!

I have used up my list of stuff to see in Florence, so I plan my next stop, the Cinque Terre coastline in north western Italy...