An Unexpected Side Trip

There was (allegedly) too much fog in Florence, so the plane that I should have gotten on was diverted to Pisa.  That meant a 1-hour bus ride westward to the Pisa airport:

Of course, by the time this happened and the flight to Paris finally took off, I had missed my connection back to the states.  Thus, I got to spend the night at a totally forgettable airport hotel.  Fortunately, the hotel was located in the quaint little village of Roissy-en-France:

Last Day in Florence

"Going native" with a nice scarf (for what it's worth, this did stop the sidewalk trinket salespeople from pestering me).

Trying a trigeminal nerve stimulating device (intended to help treat migraines...very soothing!)

Site of a delicious lunch of tagliatelle con ragù di carne, fagioli e salsiccia di vitello, e vino rosso (pasta with meat sauce, beans and veal sausage & good red wine)

A stall at the central market

A relaxing afternoon after a busy week

Sunset on the Piazza di Santa Maria Novella

Photos Forbidden...

...I took one anyway #YOLO

Firenze, Day 4

Today is definitely a work day, so I don't have many interesting photos to post.  However, here are some of me at "work":

This is what you get when you order a glass of wine at the hotel bar....who needs dinner?

Firenze, Day 3

Today has been more work and less fun, so I don't have as many pictures to show.  However:

Here's my booth, where I will be spending some serious quality time over the next 3 days.

Today's lunch (yum!)

Firenze, Day 2

I had time for some more sightseeing this morning, before heading to the meeting venue to work.  The weather is much better today, so hopefully these photos do Florence more justice than yesterday's.

The Arno River, looking towards the Ponte Vecchio

The frescoes inside the dome, depicting the Last Judgment, by Vasari & Zuccari

Climbing the dome...

...it's a long climb!

View of Florence from atop the dome

View of the bell tower (designed by Giotto) and Florence from the dome

Leather market

Shops on the Ponte Vecchio

The Fortezza da Basso, built by the de 'Medici family (and the site of the meeting I'm attending)

The Basilica di Santa Croce

Lunch at a Lampredotta (sandwich stand)

Dinner with some Dutch and Belgian WIP colleagues

Firenze

The Church of St. Maria Novella, just across from my hotel

A view of Florence from across the Arno River

Just to prove I'm really here (can you tell I just got off a transatlantic flight? ;-)

The Duomo (cathedral), just a few blocks from my hotel

My delicious lunch of authentic Italian Pizza