Veni Vidi Vici

WY I Run...constant endorphins

Florence- Part III

We started in a Florence with a half day where we roamed the streets of shopping and the Ponte Vecchio. We mostly went in so my sweet dad could go back to the jeweler he went to with my mom about 10 years ago and bought her a ring. She has since lost it and has talked about it incessantly, so he wanted to take her back.

I warmed up to a stranger on the bridge as my sisters did not want to pose with me. How lucky is that gal to be able to pose with me!

The next day we toted all of our belongings into the city and checked into our hotel. The only we day we are there, the Florence Marathon is being run. Besides the burning urge to jump in, I had a blast cheering on each runner I saw. I didn't really know what to cheer other than "wooohooo" since I could not think of any Italian motivational words.

Runners in the background

We continued on to the Piti Palace and 'awwwed' at the Boboli Gardens.

This Palace was built for the Piti family trying to out do the Medicis, but they eventually took over the grounds when the Pitis fell. Yeay. I learned something

My dad started posing with statues, one being his fat buddha.

Later, we got our shop on and our fights on! A tired and restless Smith Family divided by the shoppers and the non- shoppers battled it out.

Mom and dad-- the ones who made this trip possible. Love them to death

Il Porcellino-If you rub the boars nose, you are guaranteed to make it back to Florence. Dad has his hand in the mouth?

Nothing could have topped the last dinner out. We ate at Il Latini, where they served the most authentic Tuscan food in the depths of a stone cellar. Passed all of our trials and tribulations, the laughter was contagious this night.

In the light of each feud, argument, and frustration, the Smith family came out on top. Five of the strongest personalities pushed through once more only to be a stronger family from it all. Coming together after months of not seeing each other, we departed more in tune which each person's perspective and more love between us than ever. Each fault, idea, and mistake makes my family one of a kind.