The Great Staircase Climb

This morning we finally got to sleep in, so we were actually well-rested as we ventured back out into Venice for a few hours before our train. We went to St. Mark's Basilica, which had lots of gold and pretty frescoes. Then we got to walk around and shop a little, since we didn't do much shopping yesterday. We got more gelato and also bought some really pretty glass pieces that were made on one of the Venetian islands. Unfortunately, that was about all we had time for, but it left me wanting to come back!

When we arrived in Florence, it only took a couple of minutes to get to the hotel. As we marveled at the small size of the lobby, we realized we didn't see an elevator anywhere...

...turns out they didn't have one. We had to carry our luggage up four flights of stairs (with the help of the concierge), which was not one of our more pleasant experiences on the trip. We were quite winded when we arrived at the top, though I guess I'm glad we aren't on the fifth floor.

It was getting late, so we knew stuff wouldn't be open much longer. We went out for a walk to look around and find dinner. It's a nice city for looking, with lots of old, pretty buildings. Tomorrow we're going to explore some of the Renaissance history and go see Michelangelo's David, so that should be pretty cool. I've always enjoyed learning about the Renaissance, so I'll have to see what else I pick up while we're here.

Inside St. Mark's Basilica.

Apparently, the Romans appreciated Disney too!

Sunset in Florence.