The smell of cigarettes

Italy smells like smoke to me. Or rather, the smell of smoke reminds me of Italy. On the second day, after sleeping late, we got up and went downtown to the Bargello. We saw Dante's David there. As well as more ivory, armor and marble statuary than any person could imagine.
On Day Two, I had woken up with a sore throat and a thick head. I finally got rid of that about four weeks later.
But I digress. After the Bargello, Joe and Clare, Eddie, Ian, Beth and Doodle went back to the apartment. We went to lunch. We found Trattoria Alfredo and had eggplant and wine, cafe and bread. It was absolutely the best eggplant I have ever had. The wine was so easy to drink. And the cafe was comfortable.
After lunch we saw the Duomo. That's Church to you and me. It's named Santa Maria Novella. new saint marie (or mary). It's the single tackiest thing in Italy (with the possible exception of the Duomo in Siena) But I digress. the whole outside is clad in pink, green and white marble. There is a 412 step bell tower right next to it. And a Baptistry that is separate.
Now the Baptistry has some amazing and fantastic sculpture on the East Doors. But honestly, the carvings and adornments on the outsides of these buildings are too much and the pink and green marble makes it look like candy.
Brunilescci (sp?) was the architect and builder of the Dome (read: Duomo). He's the man who rediscovered perspective. It's the second largest Dome in Italy (just a tad smaller than the one Michelangelo did for St. Peter's Basilica (Vatican) in Rome.
We did go home for a while after that, and after we bought our tickets to Sienna. We did some window shopping too.
We went back to the center of the city for dinner. Ended up eating at a place called The Yellow Bar. Mike got accosted by a Canadian history teacher for having voted Bush last time. That poor woman. I hope she stayed in Europe or took tranquilizers after the election.
Anyway... we wandered through the city at night and it was pleasant and quite lively. I wanted roasted chestnuts but never could find any... guess I'll have to go back.
Gotta run. Tomorrow... what we did on Tuesday in Florence....