QuintonLyndsey: Florence/Cinque Terre

ON our way to Florence/Firenze...unfortunately something has to go wrong in the trip, and that is Quin's health. He hasn't been feeling that great, probably because we've been doing way too much. He's feeling better today (sun,) but the last couple of days we both have been feeling run down, so take it easy days have been ordered. Yesterday, coming to Florence was nice and easy, and we spent the day walking around the old town and doing the renaissance walk. The old town is full of splendor and charm. sculptures line some of the piazzas. It's beautiful. We loved the duomo (church) and the pink, green and white marble. It's decorated so greatly and very Renaissancey. Thanks Emily Jorgenson for all your tips, I thought of you throughout the city.
We got really lucky, and saw the procession of all the neighborhood rugby/soccer/football, (it's all 3 of those sports together,) teams getting ready for their traditional annual match. It's really neat, they march up the street to the field with drums, trumpets, songs and shouts. It was neat. Quin and I thought it would be fun to go, but due to the fact we were feeling rough, we thought the traditional Uffizi museum of all the local Renaissance art would be better. It was so neat to see original art and compare it to others. The Madonnas' (or Mary's) were all so neat to think of each artist and how they wanted to compare the Virgin Mary. We enjoyed original Rafael work as well as DaVinci and some of our favorites of Venus's birth and Venus's Primavera.
We then knew it should be an early night...got food (take out pasta and pizza with fresh basil and pesto..can't go wrong,) and went to bed. Off to Cinque Terre!

Cinque Terre is marvelous. It's these 5 beautiful villages all stacked up on the side of the west coast of Italy. We are staying in Manarola, (the second village south of all the villages.) They are quaint, filled with cute people milling about, and beautiful turquoise waters. Our view from our hostel is so fun. On top of the hilltop overlooking the Liguara Sea. We are excited to relax after all the hectic city life. We're walking around here (noi esplorare,) and just grateful for God's creations and differences around the world. It's so neat! =)