Firenze - and Happy Mothers Day

Happy Mothers Day!!  We started the morning with hugs and kisses and a phone call to our parents at home.  Breakfast was a simple affair - coffee and pastries.

When we checked in yesterday the lady at the front desk was so lovely - shes promised to get our accommodation sorted today and have all our belongings moved over to the new room.  She also promised the aircon will work in the new room so thank goodness for that.  The temperature here is starting to get warmer which is nice, but also more humid.

After breaky we decided to go for a walk around the neighbourhood.  We came upon a very small deli type shop which had wine and some smallgoods and bread.  We returned to the hotel for a little while and planned another trip to a bigger shopping centre just before lunch.

cute windows

our street - quiet street but lots of cars parked

not much room for a garden

It was about a 1.5 km walk to the next shopping centre but well worth it. Visited the coffee shop first and I'm beginning to work out the system at these.  You order your coffee and then scoff down whatever pastry you like the look of while you wait for it.  We opted not to have the pastry, just the coffee.  The coffee was pretty cheap too.  About $2 for the cup of creamy latte.  I commented to Tony that they were a great price - then he reminded me that they're really only half serves and hes correct.  That's why the number of cups hes having has increased - because they're really only half cups :-)

the major shopping centre nearby - not sure if its new and not filled, or old and deserted

massive shop - Tony got told off for taking a photo - guess they thought we were Aldi spies

We had a bit of a look around in the electronics store, the cosmetic store and a clothing store called H&M.  The boys both made purchases - Tony got a couple more hats (a replacement for his 'bitchin hat" he lost in Sydney last October). Nate bout a nice shirt and some jeans - all really good prices.

I was soo excited to get inside the supermarket, just for a look at the local foods.  We were planning on going back to the coffee store for lunch but there was no need in the end.  In the supermarket they had a mini buffet which was 6 euros ($9) and it included a drink of whatever you wanted, including wine!!  Tony and I had spinach and ricotta ravioli and Nate went for the seafood risotto.  Tony even got to have a nice glass of red wine.  Was such a surprise.  It makes us realise how much better our shops could be at home.

the cafe where we had our mini buffet

 We bought some drinks and even a nice bottle of Chianti to souvenir and then wandered off - blissfully full on pasta and life.  

this bottle is going home - just the bottle!

We wandered back to the hotel past a mini flea market that was underway and discovered a Gelati shop.  It was my mothers day wish to have Gelati so I was thrilled.  Nate went chocolate, Tony went coffee and I went for the lemon.  I didn't sample the coffee but the lemon and the chocolate were fantastic.  They had so many to choose from and the man making them all popped his head into the shop a few times while we were there.  It was time to go when two gentleman fired up the karaoke machine and starting to sing a love song duet.

va bene

When we returned our new room was ready - yes its cooler, but man is it bright in here.  Tony will be wearing his eye patch again no doubt!!

bigger and a little cooler

We were tired from all the walking and my back has decided to lock itself up again so we decided to have food delivered tonight.  We all chose Lasagne and the very helpful lady at the front desk ordered it for us as our language skills couldn't manage that. It was really nice, but not that much different to what we have at home - not sure what I thought we would be having.

pasta goodness - very cheesy!