Day 8 - Wandering Florence

Our first first full day in Florence started off slowly as the boys decided that it in order to prepare ourselves for the adventures that lay ahead it would be imperative to sleep in. Similarly to our morning struggles in Rome, we neglected to react to the sounds of Justin's iPhone going off. After another hour in bed, it was finally time to explore the city from a place other than our beds. Food was on our mind so we dropped our heads into a breakfast spot where we were greeted by a lovely Italian lady who sat us down. Considering it was 95 degrees out and the five minute walk from the hotel  caused sweat to transpire on our foreheads, we immediately ordered iced espressos in order to cool down. We were soon in awe at the work that was being put into making these drinks. Her physical strength, dominance, and concentration were on display as she shook the expresso with the ice until we felt vibration from our seats. We wondered if she was ever going to stop and soon thereafter began asking questions amongst ourselves that included "Is she okay?" And "I wonder what kind of weight she lifts at the gym?" After we consumed mediocre tasting omelets, we all agreed that we'd come back to this cafe just to pay for the iced espresso show. Following breakfast we hopped on the City Sightseeing Tour bus, similarly to what we had done in Rome. We were fascinated to learn about the city and many of the outer areas that we wouldn't have experienced otherwise. One such area where we hopped off  was the Plaza de Michelangelo. Here we saw the replica of the David as well as the original location for the sculpture. The best part of the Plaza was hands down the aerial views of the city which allowed us to easily spot the river and the duomo. After doing a full tour around the city the boys were more than ready for lunch. Alex was persistent on finding a sandwich place called All' Antico Vinaio that was recommended by a friend of his. Somehow after walking in circles and failed conversations with policemen and locals, we were excited to spot the restaurant in the distance. It proved to be worth the stress as it quickly became the best sandwich some of us have ever had. We then visited the Ponte Vecchio bridge and walked around the many jewelry and leather shops. After a long day of exploring, we went back to our hostel and skipped dinner because our late lunch was causing us to remain full.  As for the night activities, we met up with our bus2alps friends who were studying abroad in Florence. They brought us around to a number of bars including a place that had Mexican drink specials, Lions Fountain, and the Red Garter.