We met our local guide early the next morning. She gave us a very inside tour of Florence - we delighted in the backstreets of this elegant city. We learned the history of the rise of Florence and enjoyed seeing the places that the Medicis themselves called home. We toured both sides of the Arno and got a glimpse of everyday life of today's Florentine. After a busy morning we got to experience one of the highlights of the trip - cooking class!
We walked into an unassuming storefront and into a culinary wonderland. There we made bruschetta, pasta from scratch, a delectable turkey and mushroom dish and, to top it off, tiramisu! After our hard work we were led to a basement wine cellar with beautiful tables where we got to enjoy the fruits of our labor. What a fabulous afternoon! Caroline and I needed to walk off our delicious lunch, and walk we did! We explored, and thanks to our guide, we felt at ease and never lost. We stumbled into a gelato place and lo and behold they had the flavor we had been searching for - Rizzo! Rice gelato never tasted so good, especially when paired with rose! We shopped the famous Florence markets then joined our group for a true Florentine dinner - old bread soup and flaming pork. That night we enjoyed wonderful food and true comradery with our group that just a few days prior was just a bunch of strangers. |