Day 4 - Where Did The Day Go?!

Day 4 brings us into a morning Megan slept until noon (which is in reality only like 7 at home, sooo I blame jet lag). It also probably didn't help that I stayed up for a couple hours talking to another guy who lives in the building. Mikko is from Seattle and living in Florence attending school as a painter. He's a fairly pleasant fellow with interesting points of view and a very intelligent manner about him. He also gave me a lot of helpful tips of places to go eat, shop for fresh foods and which beers to drink. Thanks Mikko!!!

So, waking from my two hour-ish conversation, Mom and I took a while to get moving. We left the building and ran out to get a space heater and phone. Came back and hung out for a bit to become a little more technologically advanced. We webcamed with Dad and before hunger overcame us, we headed to the Duomo. The first "charming" restaurant we found we stopped in and ate like tourists. Mom had lasagna and I had spaghetti. We decided to take a nice long walk around the Duomo window shopping and people watching.

Get out your night vision goggles.

(Don't worry, brighter pictures to follow. You really can't grasp the complexity and enormity of this structure. When you see it walking down the street, it consumes your view so nothing can be seen but the Duomo. It's beautiful.) 

This is a picture taken from the outside of a cafeteria type establishment. In the corner of the restaurant, the gelato. Gelato shops are sprinkled throughout the city. But they don't just put the five gallon tubs in the windows like we do with ice cream. They shape it, drizzle it with chocolate, and add fruit (above you see a lemon stuck right in the lemon gelato). It's become a work of art and hard to pass up on. These Italians know exactly what they are doing!

Unfortunately, today yielded little results outside of the room. However, we established multiple connections with home and with that, I consider today successful.

I do hope all is well at home. Mom and I miss everyone, however still managing to take in this city the best we can. : ) 

Miss you all!