DAY 12. Friday July 2, 2004. FLORENCE

We were up and motored to Florence arriving around lunch to get our group picture taken overlooking Florence. We then saw the leather demonstration and had until 2 to meet for the walking tour. We then saw the Duomo and Cathedral which were cool of them. 5 or 6 of us headed to the Uffizi Gallery which was AMAZING!!! We didn’t have time to get through it in enough detail, or to make it out of there and head over to the museum housing the statue of David. I simply will have to make it back some day. We had only a few hours in Florence city, as we had to get back to our hotel (which had a store around the corner, and a mini-bar). PK drove us up to the place for dinner which was absolutely fabulous! There was Tuscan music, and opera. The meal started with Antipasto, followed by Penne and spectacular lasagna. Which they took away when a few of us were up dancing. Very sad, as it was so good. The actual course was steak I think- I gave mine away, and good potatoes. Wine was freely flowing. I didn't write down what desert was. We danced away to the Bird Dance and a few other ones. They played the “When the moon hits your eye song.” Come the time to leave, I did not go to the optional disco although did talk on the bus mike momentarily, rather than singing karaoke which some of the folk were planning on doing at the disco. Some said the disco wasn’t that good anyway.

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The Duomo, and glass inside