What-uh? Couch Surfing Adventures in Florence and Pisa

This is the final segment of my 2012 spring break trip to Barcelona, Rome, Florence, Pisa and Venice! We had two days to see both Florence and Pisa, which is no time at all. I would have liked just one more day.

Our time in Florence had a rather comical beginning. We were picked up from the train station by our eccentric couch surfing host, and he took us straight to San Miniato al Monte, which is a church/monastery that is on top of a hill and looks out over all of Florence. We parked at the bottom where he proceeded to run up the hill. 

See him in the picture on the left? He's the guy on the right. Still running. The picture on the right is how we felt about it. 

But the view from the top was pretty cool. 

Looking back up at the church as we were leaving. Then our couch surfing host suggested we walk from there to the center of town, where he would come pick us up. We said, thanks but no thanks!

On the left, the altar inside the church. On the right is an inlay of the zodiac on the floor in the church.

The three of us!

The view of Florence from out in front of the church. Our couch surfing host wanted us to walk to the cathedral, which is the big dome in the middle. 

Santa Maria del Fiore or the Duomo di Firenze. Since we had one day in Florence, we didn't get a chance to go inside. The line is always reaaaalllly long and we decided to brave the long lines to see the Uffizi Gallery instead. 

 The fake David!

 Ponte Vecchio- the only bridge in Florence that wasn't destroyed in WW2

 Traditionally the shops along the bridge are all jewelry shops.

Then we got caught in a massive rain storm. To escape it we went to have a delicious stew for lunch. We also stopped by to look at a market where I bought the most beautiful leather journal!

Right before we left we also had lampredotto sandwiches, which are a typical fast-food type meal in Florence. The meat is like tripe, and is cooked with tomatoes and spices, and then slapped on the bread. I did enjoy the flavor, but not the texture!

Lampradetto sandwich (source)

Then we went to Pisa, where it wasn't raining at all.

And took typical tourist pictures. 

And then made fun of everyone else taking typical tourist pictures!

Piazza dei Miracoli 

Then we got on the train and ate chocolate all the way home :)

And so ends the saga of my 2012 spring break. Now I have to go back to Italy!