Because I’ve previously seen all of the architectural sights, I decide to spend my time in Florence touring the Uffizi Gallery. With works by Botticelli and Da Vinci, you can’t go wrong. Botticelli’s Nascita di Venere (Birth of Venus) is here, a work which everyone will immediately recognize depicting a naked Venus standing on a clam shell. Botticelli lived in Florence, so the Uffizi Gallery is dominated by his work. I eat my dinner at Trattoria Da Burde Firenze, then I’m in the air for a sunset flight to LIRP Pisa International Airport.
The Pisan Mountains pass to my right, but most of the journey is over flat land.
Pisa’s lights glimmer as the day’s last light fades. The Arno River continues to snake its way toward the ocean. I could have visually followed it from Florence and arrived at Pisa.
Soon I’m lined up with runway 4L, setting down gently,
Tomorrow morning I’ll catch a taxi across the Ponte Solferino bridge and follow Villa Roma to the Piazza del Duomo. There’s I’ll find the Cattedrale di Pisa and the well-known leaning tower. The area surrounding it is very modern, and I recall when I was here in 2003 just how much of a juxtaposition the plaza was compared to the neighboring houses. When I was last here, it was a brilliantly cloudy day with intense sunlight which made for sharp black and white photos.
I head to my hotel for an overnight stay. I’ve got a little sightseeing planned before tomorrow’s trip to LIPE Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport.