Viterbo, on the way to Florence

Hello again! Internet has been easier to access since I have gotten away from Rome. We left the city yesterday for Florence, but make a stop in Viterbo in between. Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures because I decided to enjoy the afternoon without lugging it around. We were dropped off in the middle of Viterbo with different options of going to museums or just walking around. A few girls and I wanted specifically to see San Pelligrino, a neighborhood built around the medieval times and has been preserved like that until today. Minus the modern cars and cell phones, it looked exactly like it should. He decorations were gray and sparse, but beautiful. And after Saint Peters Cathedral and the Vatican, covered from floor to ceiling with something to look at, a medieval afternoon was a nice change of pace. We shopped (though I have been keeping my wallet closed until we arrive in Florence where the real shopping will take place) and ate a quick lunch in one of the many piazzas. There were lots of hills, so we came across great views of the city.

We climbed on the buses again to venture to Florence. (At any point in these stories, you can add the line, I was exhausted. Everywhere we go, I am pretty exhausted but we are pushing through it and really getting to see a lot.) We arrived after dark in Florence and checked into a hotel downtown. This does not even compare to the set up we had in Rome because we are pretty crammed together, but honestly the spirit of Florence makes up for it. It is much smaller and less crowded. I think that Florence is often criticized for being too Americanized, but we are appreciative after struggling so much in Rome. No pickpocket stories so far too, and in Rome there were plenty. In case you are not getting the idea, I am loving Florence. The group woke up this morning to rush into the Bargello Museum, which houses the best sculpture in Florence, and possibly Italy. We were able to see Donatellos David made out of bronze. I will post pictures after I steal from from my friends because I left my camera back in the hotel again.

Everything has been wonderful so far except the weather, which refuses to change from a gray cold. But the Florentines have been so helpful and that really helps things along. I have already found my favorite thing in Florence, but I will post on it later because you have to have pictures of it, and I dont have them yet. So you will just have to wait.