Italia days 7-9

Day 7: Thursday, January 20
Planned itinerary:

• Palazzo Vecchio Tour
• Bargello Museum
• Orsanmichele
• San Lorenzo- Medici Tombs
• San Lorenzo market

What we actually did:

getting warm by the heater while enjoying a large beer

• Academia bright and early to see my boyfriend, Michelangelo's David
• Drifted through the Uffizi while cracked out on crazy Italian sinus medicine, saw some incredible Renaissance masterpieces by the likes of Giotto, Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Piero della Francesca, Titian, Fra Filipo Lippi, Raphael, and of course, Boticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera. We also got to catch the temporary Caravaggio exhibition, which they're about to take down.
• Lunch at a trattoria outside the Uffizi, it wasn't great
• Stopped by Palazzo Rucellai to say hi to Peter Fischer, my old teacher! 
• Popped into some shops, perused some merchandise from street vendors
• Went to the San Lorenzo market, bought hats because it was freezing!
• Ventured over to Bar La Borsa, got some vegetable soup to warm the soul and some giant beers. The waiter had a thing for short perky redheads, Sarah got a free limoncello out of the deal
• Went back to the hotel to rest up for the night, never made it back out. Too sick/tired/cold!

Day 8: Friday, January 21
Planned itinerary:

• back to Rome!

What we actually did:

• Checked out of Hotel San Giovanni, said our goodbyes. We'll miss you, San Giovanni!
• Trekked to the train station, luggage in tow
• Checked into the Mariano Hotel in Rome, which was luckily very close to the train station and Rome's China Town
• Had lunch at a Chinese restaurant before heading to the metro. They had shark fin soup on the menu—so crazy! Decided to stick with mixed veggies and spicy tofu and spring rolls
• Took the metro to Barberini Square—there's a Bernini statue there!
• Wandered around Rome, went into some stores. Sarah bought leather gloves. Wandered more...
• Finally made it to Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, with one of the most impressive displays of Italian art in Rome. Aside from the beautiful architecture and the ceilings, which were painted a beautiful blue, the church houses works by Michelangelo, Bernini, Andre Bregno and Fra Angelico.
• Had an early dinner at our favorite restaurant, Osteria Spaghetti, where we toasted to our trip with a glass of Prosecco, accompanied by a mixed green salad, bruschetta, spaghetti pomodoro, Chianti, and of course, limoncello.
• Walked home in the rain. Oy vey.

Day 9: Saturday, January 22
Planned itinerary:

• Leave Italy, go back to Israel :(

What we actually did:

• Woke up to a rainy day
• Breakfast at the hotel before checking out
• Took a 30 second cab ride to the train station to avoid dragging around our suitcases in the rain
• Flew Alitalia back to Tel Aviv. Read Kris Carr's new book "Crazy Sexy Diet" the entire flight home. Sounds gimmicky, but it's a must read! She's an inspiration. 
• Argued with some cab drivers until we found a reasonably priced ride home, finally made it back to Ashdod safe and sound. 
• Ciao, Italia! Shalom, chaverim!

Visit my flickr to see all of my pictures from the trip, and go to my vimeo page for some videos