a calm respite from the crowdsWe don't build places like this anymoredetailsornate detailsbadass security *wink*my evening ritual in the square. gin and soda, 2 lemons ;)no joke, best meal of my life!!quaint grounds-keeper dwelling on the property of the leather schoolthats a sucker, not a cig! onward bound to Venice ;)

Just lovely evening ambiance in the city square the view to the right of my hotel, right into the square: The Duomo Florence was much cleaner(a far cry from all the cigarette butts covering Rome), calmer because of less crowds, and has such beautiful layers of history. It was once the center of medieval Europe and is the birthplace of the Renaissance. Visiting the Uffizi gallery can be just as overwhelming as the Louvre in Paris, though much smaller. Just for a list of the great works there http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uffizi_Gallery My second time here; definitely a favorite place.   

Off of hotel balconyMorning sunshineCozy looking residenceTypical. She made it look easy, even in a skirt!Many many street artistPantheonPantheon, built as a temple to all gods of ancient RomeExquisiteInside the Coliseum1% hotel ;) Roof top bar cocktailsMy usual: gin and sodaItalians after workALL waiters, pretty much everywhere, dress in formal uniformsTypical routine: after work cup of espresso. ALWAYS standingOrnate door carvings on a cathedralMichelangeloMain form of transportationExquisite sculptures EVERYWHERENotice the broken line at neck.PIck a head, any head, attach it it any bust!Courtyard for a lot of the sculptures (behind the Vatican)

Confession: I don’t watch the Olympics. But don’t take it personally; I never turn on my tv to watch anything, really. BUT, there are very few better examples of discipline. I greatly admire the characters of people participating, their focus and patience with themselves in order to achieve the goal. Very few of us live our lives toward such mastership. The pic was taken in Edinburgh, Scotland at the end of my Europe trip. 

Walk walk walk everywhere…     Swiss Guards @ Vatican; they are all over Europe, seem to have to monopoly on elite safety measures :/ old ruins, original Roman road