Hello! It’s been over a week since I last posted a blog, so I’ve got some catching up to do. For the week of the 14-23, I was in Florence with my mother and it was objectively the most amazing, relaxing, inspiring week of the trip.

For starters, this is the view from our apartment window. We look over the Arno River right on the Ponte Vecchio, the classic old bridge.

Not to mention the two incredible walking tours. We had an overview of the city with Gian and an in-depth exploration of Michelangelo’s David in the Accademia. Our tour with Gian ended up being just us and we got to know him quite well. He was incredibly charming as well as knowledgeable. We shared our Accademia tour with a lovely older couple from Oklahoma and we were led by an earnest young man named Duccio. It was so refreshing to be in a small group. We got more personalized tours and got to ask in-depth questions based on what particularly interested us.

Yes I chose my full shot of the David, but of course a photo doesn’t do it justice.

This is the Duomo, the ancient innovative cathedral. This particular shot is just one lucky instance of many views of the majestic facade. The peak of the dome serves as a beacon to the whole city-one can never be lost in sight of it. We didn’t get a chance to go inside, but it was lovely to see it from all different angles and times of day.

We took a day trip out to Cinque Terra and had a wonderful time exploring the scenery and making new friends. We spent a majority of our day with a lovely artist couple from South Carolina and got to know people from Austria as well. Love of Florence is international. We also hiked from Corniglia to Vernazza, which was lovely. I walked hand in hand with my mother over the uneven terrain, and the silence allowed time for true reflection and meditation.

We went to the San Lorenzo leather market and each picked up some lovely items. I held my new russet satchel and felt more put together and professional than ever.

One cannot write an account of traveling in Florence and neglect describing the incredible food. We found a lovely restaurant by our apartment called Signor Vino and ate three of our five dinners there. We had roast beef with chicory and steak with vegetables and an excessive amount of tiramisu.

As we toured Florence, the high-end options available to me have inspired me to take meal planning into my own hands. I’ve been compiling a comprehensive list of meals to prepare when I get home, to an obsessive level. Part of it is that planning is a form of creativity for me and part of it is a desire to have control over what I am eating.

My week in Florence was one of the most amazing weeks of my entire trip. It was amazing to be with my mom again, in one apartment for an entire week, and eating amazing food. I cherish my time in the magical city and look forward to the second half of my journey. Onward!