Gratuitous self-portrait #1. We just got off the plane in Pisa (no, we didn't get to see the leaning tower). From here we took an hour-long bus ride to Florence.
Dabney having her first truly Italian meal, pizza, of course!

Posing on the Arno river that goes through Florence

I was lucky enough to get this cutie to stop for a picture in front of the cathedral.

Here's one of the goldsmith shops on the Ponte Vecchio at night.

A row of goldsmith shops along the Ponte Vecchio at night

Some good looking guy in front of the cathedral on our first night.. :)

Dabney working her way up the 463 steps to the top of the cathedral. We only had to stop 32 times on the way up to catch our breath.

Dabney posing in front of one of the world's smallest car

The Italian Caribineri (Police)

The leather market

Many thanks to the complete stranger who took this shot for us.. We were 463 steps above Florence, on top of the Dome (Cathedral)

Gratuitous self-portrait on top of the duomo.

A view of the city from a porthole on the way up the cathedral

Taking a break going up the stairs of the cathedral.. I think I'm on stair 350 out of 463 here... But I'm in such great shape that this was a breeze :))

I really got the Kodak moment here.. She was thinking how wonderful it is to be with me.. I mean.. to be in Florence :)

"I'm absolutely in love with the woman taking this picture."

That's my wife. In Florence. She's very niiiice...

We took this from the Ponte Vecchio bridge (see pictures of it below)

Ponte Vecchio Bridge

Here is the Gothic Church of Santa Croce, started by Arnolfo di Cambio in 1294 and finished in 1442. Its neo-gothic belltower was added in 1842. The interior has frescoes by Giotto and his pupil Taddeo Gaddi. The church contains tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo. Machiavelli was buried here in 1527 and his funeral monument was erected in 1727 by Innocenzo Spinazzi.

Gratuitous self-portrait

The Ponte Vecchio bridge, lined with goldsmiths and jewelers during the day

Gratiutious self-portrait 2

If you think the Mini Cooper is small, you haven't seen anything.. This little guy was about the size of a go-cart. Three wheels and battery powered.. No thanks.

The Florentine markets are packed with hundreds of leather shops.

Notice the stud with the goofy hat..

The gilded bronze doors of the baptistry are by Andrea Pisano (1336) of the famous "Gates of Paradise", whose original panels has been removed for restoration and there are copies in its place.

A view to the Duomo cathedral from the west

Nighttime shot of one of the streets near our hotel.

This is an exact replica of Michaelangelo's David statue we saw in the Galeria dell'Academia. That's the real Dabney though.

I was so happy to sit down after walking around all day..

The Bargello was built in 1255 and it is one of the oldest seat of the government in Florence.