First stop for the day was breakfast at the pasticceria, which just like it sounds is a pastry shop right across the street with creamy cafe lattes to go with the croissants/pastries. It is obviously popular with locals coming and going for their shot of expresso and sugar fix of choice.
I then did a stroll around the neighborhood to pick up a few groceries, which wasn't that easy when everything is in Italian and most shopkeepers don't speak any English, so I kept it simple - milk, juice, yoghurt, premade sandwich. Couldn't for the life of me find any eggs or coffee...despite checking three local small shops, and the green grocers had limited selection - alot of strawberries which I am allergic to, some very green pears and battered oranges and a few bananas at 1.6 euros each (which is over $2 Canadian per banana). I guess that means I will be eating out mostly.
I also picked up a ten ride bus card, which is half the price of paying for individual tickets, at the local tobacco and lottery ticket shop. After dropping my few purchases back at the apartment, I headed out on the bus to the downtown core where all the major tourist attractions are, though my plans were to hit the fringe areas. The bells were tolling and I headed into the beautiful gilded church of Annunciata di Firenze. It seemed rather odd to be sitting in a communion church service while tourists walked in and around the church, even snapping pictures. I sat and observed until the service was over than did a quick tour before they announced for everyone to leave as they were locking up...apparently it is not regularly open to tourist traffic. I then walked around the area, soaking in the ancient feel of the buildings, from the fully restored and embellished to the crumbling. Ended up in the square with the Duomo Cathedral and battled the crowds to have another look at the Giabertti doors in all their golden glory.
I continued to explore side streets and made a stop and tour of the Leonardo Da Vinci museum which features his machine inventions, many of the machines are interactive. Eventually my wandering got me to San Lorenzo, just across from the train station, so I went to check out making reservations for the Friday train to Civitavecchia. The line ups were ridiculous so I grabbed a bowl of fruit and a water in the cafeteria then caught the bus back to the apartment.
A quick wash up and I headed out for dinner at the local restaurant Mastrobulletta again, and had a great plate of octopus, cuttlefish and mussels in a spicy tomato sauce. To finish the day off I had another piece of the chocolate pear cake concoction.
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