ITALY: "Prepare for the emotion!" pt. 3

Day #3:

FLORENCE

We took a day trip to Firenze with John and Debbie. Not realizing that Florence was not that complicated of a city to navigate, we signed up for an all-day guided tour = Worst. Idea. Ever. I'll spare you all the dirty details, but in essence, the tour guide brought us to the outside of a bunch of really cool stuff and said, "This building is really important. If you have time, you should go inside." And we were like, "Ummm, isn't that what we paid you for? So that we could skip the line and go inside?" But no. 

Despite our tourist blunder, we had a great day together and Florence is now one of my favorite cities in Europe.

The *best* part of the day - and what became The Quote of the whole trip - was our visit to the Accademia di Belle Arti to see Michelangelo's David. As we were waiting to enter the hallway where The David lives, our tour guide gathered us around her and went off for about ten minutes about the history of the gallery, the history of Michelangelo, yadda, yadda, yadda. Finally, she is ready to take us into the hall, but not before delivering this gem of a line:
"PREPARE FOR THE EMOTION." 
The four of us just kind of looked at each other, mouths agape.
I sidled up to Debbie and whispered, "Did she really just say what I think she said? Prepare for the emotion?"
Yup. That really just happened. And thus was born The Quote.


views of Florence from the Pizzale Michelangelo

The Duomo

L-R: outside replica of The David; the real The David (taking photos of The David is verboten, but I snatched a photo of his backside on my iPhone. Sneaky, I know...); outside replica of The Rape of the Sabine Women by Giambologna

Ponte Vecchio

We had a great day in Florence... with one not-so-small exception.

The reason we were all in Italy was to attend Cousin Lanie's wedding. Lanie has lived in Italy for about 4 years now, teaching English.  She met and fell in love with an Italian (surprise, surprise!) and had been planning her wedding for almost a year, which was scheduled to take place that Saturday.

However, while we were in Florence on Tuesday, we got the news that the groom, Francesco, had been in a motorcycle accident (not his fault).

And he broke his arm.

And his femur. 

And the wedding was cancelled.

Needless to say we were all heartbroken for Lanie and France, but at the same time so, so glad that he didn't, you know, die. I believe the latest news is that France is finally home from the hospital, but won't be walking anytime soon. Even though they are technically already married (as per Italian marriage license protocols), the wedding has been postponed until the groom can stand up for his bride.

At which point, I might have to make a return visit to Firenze.

(to be continued)