On Wednesday, June 22nd, we ported into Livorno.
From this port you can go to many different cities, including Pisa, Cinque Terra, and Florence. We had been to all three so we decided to check out what the port town of Livorno had to offer. The rest of the family headed down to Florence.
We grabbed the shuttle to head into town, we were ready to check out the little town.
The Monument of the Four Moors is dedicated to Ferdinando I de'Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. Ferdinando I commissioned it to Giovanni Bandini in 1595 to carry out a monument in white Carrara marble to represent him in the uniform of the Grand master of the Order of Saint Stephen which in that period prevailed in several naval battles against the Barbary pirates.
The streets, or canals, reminded me a little of Venice.
This older gentleman made my day. He was "driving" down the middle of the road, not caring about traffic he was holding up and actually used his hands to signal his turns. It was FANTASTIC!!!!!!
This is the Fortezza Nuova (New Fortress). The origin take place at the end of the 1500s, by the adjustment of Baluardo San Franceso (Saint Francis rampart) and Baluardo Santa Barbara (Saint Barbara rampant) of the project commissioned by Cosimo I to Bernard Buontalenti with the intention to develop a new urban plan of the town that led to a pentagonal shape surrounded by canals.
Heading in one of the entrance tunnels. The fortress was heavily damaged during World war II with the destruction of the most part of the buildings, the restoration was completed in 1972 and the superior part is used at present as public park and centre for events and displays.
Michael showing us where to shoot, AJ ready and primed and I am about to pull the cord.
The boys and I having a great time!!!
My three boys - I LOVE them so much!!!!!
Then after that the boys decided it would be fun to just climb all over the cannon!!
David and I being silly, and being us!! :-)
Piazza Cavour is a square of Livorno designed in the first half of the 1800s along the Fosso Reale, in the area of the late bastion of Carey. The square was originally the southern rampart of fortified cities designed by Bernardo Buontalenti. The defensive system was completely surrounded by a moat which followed a Pentagon whose vertices were located at the same bulwarks.
And of course we have to have our ice cream!!!!! It was yummy too!!!
This was the only port in our whole cruise that had armed guards at the docks when we arrived and left.
While we were enjoying Livorno, Mom, Al, Julie, Gabby, and Kaitlyn were down in Florence checking out the old art and beautiful streets!
Here they are in one of David's and my favorite museums, the Uffizi!!!
Smiling and enjoying themselves in Florence!!
The ladies touching the wild boar for good luck!!! Hopefully it worked!
Julie, Kaitlyn, Gabby, and Al enjoying a little break during their full day of sightseeing.
What is a trip to Florence without seeing Michelangelo's David! So impressive!!!!
A great view of the city, the end of a good day!
The boys couldn't wait till the girls got back from their tour, that was all they were asking almost all day is when they were returning. I am really glad they get along so well and enjoy spending time together so much!!
The adults wanted to eat Chinese this evening, but the kids wanted to eat at the buffet, so we split for dinner on this night.
Another beautiful sunset, tomorrow the kids get their wish and they can all be together again!
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