Bologna - Firenze, Friday 16 Sept

This morning we said goodbye to the boys as they headed off for school. Mitch and Jayne went off to their first Italian exam, and I raced out at around 9:00am to try and change our midday train tickets to Florence to later in the afternoon, as Giovanna and her family were arriving from Pesaro (2 hours away)  at around 10am.  No success with the train tickets, but possibly the best work-out I’ve had in years...

I met Gio’ (English husband Andrew, and children Antony and Cornelia) in Santo Stefano and we both decided that we were either very old-looking 20 year olds, or that we hadn’t changed a bit in 20 years.  So much fun to see her again, and to meet her gorgeous family. 

We all headed off to Piazza Maggiore together and into the Duomo, which was amazing.  Lunch with Mitch and Jayne in Santo Stefano, then we all said our goodbyes and the girls and I headed off to catch the next train for Florence, running into Mitch and the boys (all on their bikes) on their way home from school, the girls shrieking their goodbyes from the cab and the Dowd family lucky not to be hit by a passing bus.  Even the cab driver was laughing openly.

Once again, with 4 minutes to spare, we boarded our 4:30pm train and 35 minutes later arrived in Florence.  Claudia was then bitten by a wasp – very brave.  Cab to our hotel, on the river and directly opposite Piazza Michel Angelo.  The girls then went into hyper mode, so we headed up to Piazza Michel Angelo to catch the evening view across Florence (stunning), and then off to dinner for our first pizza together in Piazza Santa Croce.  The girls were very funny and lots of fun.

We walked back to the hotel at around 8:30pm and (finally....I’ve been meaning to explain....) the girls asked me what “on Earth” the “babies bath” (bidet) was meant to be.  Complete hysteria broke out when I explained and they are still going strong.  Clouds has put on a concert and Ava is lying back in bed and enjoying every minute of it (slight role reversal!!!). 

Loved Bologna, loved seeing Gio’ and meeting her family and have loved this evening with my girls.

Ava, Cornelia (Giovanna's daughter) and Clouds

Gio' and I, 20 years down the track!

Gio' and Andrew

Cornelia

Girls - Piazza Maggiore, Bologna

Gio'

Piazza Santo Stefano, outside Mitch & Jayne's for lunch

Train to Florence

View from Piazza Michel Angelo to the Ponte Vecchio

Girls with the Ponte Vecchio behind

And with the Duomo behind

Piazza Santa Croce - we had pizza under the umbrellas to the left

My girls!

Cloud's (very funny) concert!!

That had her in stitches as well

And Ava!!