Florence

Not long after I commenced work at the EBI I was sent off to the Glyco XVIII carbohydrate conference set in picturesque Florence, AKA the birthplace of the Renaissance.

Whilst this was ostensibly a work trip, I still managed to swing a week's holiday into the deal for Marcelle's birthday and to welcome her to the UK (and/or to thank her for leaving Australia behind).

Welcome to Florence! Definitely one of Florence's most breathtaking sights, the Duomo (or 'dome') dominates the inner city skyline serving as a veritable magnet for all manner of tourists, pickpockets, and gelato-vendors alike. At times, the sheer density of human flesh, digital cameras and frozen milk products can get a bit too much, in which case you're only option is to flee back to your hotel and sweat like a pig, or find...

...a nice quiet Florentine street. I would say "typical" Florentine street, except for the fact that this street is almost completely tourist-free.

Duomo part due.

While not as impressive as from the outside, the Duomo is still an amazing work of architecture. And yes, it's frickin huge!

View from the Ponte Vecchio ("old bridge"). I believe that Ponte Vecchio also translates into "jewel thief" in some local dialect, due to the fact that the entire bridge thoroughfare is coated in a thick layer of plexiglass cabinets full of cheap-looking-but-no-doubt-expensive jewelry.

View of the river from the Ponte Vecchio.

One of the many piazzas ("city squares") around the inner city (read: I'm too lazy to look this one up).

Scuptures like this are as common as gelato vendors around Florence... you just have to swim through the ever-present stream of tourists to get to them.

Marcelle and I looking hawt, as usual...

Two swedes, a HirenJ and a couple of bottles of Chinti == trouble. Just what ARE you doing to yourself there Niclas? ;-)

A day in the Boboli gardens, a sprawling several acre area of carefully trimmed hedges, trees and various scupltures. The gardens effectively cover half a hillside, so there are quite awesome views of the city from the top half of the gardens.

I believe this is Neptune, killing or maiming yet another undeserving mortal no doubt.

Day trip to the Chianti region just outside Florence, where they make... Chianti! Chianti is effectively red wine made from Sangiovese grapes, grown in Chianti.