Fri May 2 - Capella Brancacci, Ponte Vecchio, Oltrarno

Marian & I walked over to the San Ambrogio market to get some food - strawberries, cherries, cantalope, tomatoes on the vine, all for 8 euros.  Then I headed for the Antico Setificio (antique silk factory) (watch an interesting video about this place), other side of the river.  But it was closed -- had tried to call ahead but not sure they got my message.  Also it's a 3-day weekend for many people here.

Capella Brancaccci

Met up with Marian & Harry (Toby resting today) and walked around Oltrarno.  Raining quite a bit.  Went into the Capella Brancaccci (chapel).  Gorgeous frescoes - you can see some close-ups here.   

Met a couple from Holland.  The man is a Medieval History teacher. He said the most beautiful thing he had seen in Florence was the frescoes at the Medici Riccardi Palace - that one had not been on our list but now it is for sure.

Still raining. Walked by the Pittii Palace (home of the Medici's) but didn't go in.  The place is huge and imposing, several museums there and lots of tourists.  

Continuing on led us over the Ponte Vecchio ("Old Bridge") - the oldest of the bridges over the Arno River and the most famous.  

Back in 1565 Cosimo Medici had a walkway built from the Palazzo Vecchio (his offices) to the Palazzo Pitti (his home) across the river so he wouldn't have to walk on the street among the riff raff.  It's called the Vasari Corridor (designed and built by Giorgio Vasari).  At the time there were butchers and meat shops on this bridge -- the smell was so unpleasant that Cosimo banned them.  Gold merchants took their place and jewelry stores remain to this day.  Big tourist attraction as you can imagine - why are people so obsessed with jewelry when they travel?  I don't get it.  

Here's another story about the Ponte Vecchio:  During World War II, as the Nazis retreated from Italy, they ordered all the bridges across the Arno to be destroyed.  But one man, most likely Gerhard Wolf, German Consul to Florence and an admirer of Italy's art, culture, and people, defied Hitler and refused to blow up the Ponte Vecchio. Instead the buildings on either side of the bridge were destroyed.  But the bridge itself was saved.  Read more here

Dinner:  Went to a place Toby remembers from her trip here 3 years ago -- Trattoria Quattroleoni on the Oltrarno side of the river.  Only reservations inside so we sat outside which we weren't sure was going to be ok since it was still raining but there were heat lamps and it was fine.  Had a delicious meal - I had linguini con baccala (codfish), Harry had baccala Florentine (codfish covered with sliced potatoes and tomato sauce), Marian & Toby had beef stew.  We all liked our meals.  For dessert, Mattonella, a chocolate treat (mattonelle means "tile").

Then home and plan for tomorrow - will get up by 8 and off to the Duomo which opens at 10. Hope the lines won't be too long.  We have a combo ticket so maybe that gives us some priority?