Visiting David

I promised them one last art gallery and then we could go swimming and "No that would not be via any church to see a fresco". In fairness it was a pretty cool thing to go see on a Sunday morning - David in all his glory. I was particularly interested in seeing Michelangelo's Slaves or Prisoner sculptures which were truly magnificent - once again I have to admit quite an emotional moment for me...there is something so human in them to be caught by the resistance, the strength of marble - like we are at times by life and the turmoil depicted when you are not able to break free. Kinda lost on the kids of course but they also sort of got it! There was also a great room of plaster casts of statues made in the 17 - 18 century that were very moving as often for a burial site. They were incredibly life like and some of the stories they told were very moving (especially of those who died in child birth).

Then we were free to swim! We bused to a large public pool with a selection of diving boards and a 50 metre pool and spent about four hours enjoying the complete pleasure of swimming with the sun on your back and of course witnessing the emotion and larger than life enthusiasm of Italian families of all generations picnicking on a Sunday afternoon!

No warm day in Italy is complete without an ice cream and so we found out way to the market square and narrowed down our choices to a select two (I really need to move away from coffee and pistachio - although love them too much to try others...!), rubbed the pig's nose in the market to ensure a return to Florence and then detoured into the Disney Shop (to satisfy Sienna's simple needs) as you do on our way home! Managed to leave it empty handed (as pre planned!) and instead spent our money on the food that we all needed much more than a Frozen doll!

A well balanced day - so everyone happy!

So my rather poor quality image is a selfie from the iPhone - as I don't think anyone wants to see some marble buttocks! It also sums up our travelling experience with teenagers especially the 16 year old who captures her self non-stop in front of various things of interest and uploads them immediately! Note the parents squashed insignificantly into the corner of the image, as sometimes we really do feel like extras in the 'play' unfolding of our children's lives!