Trip Over to Florence – Italy

Loved this hat stall at Spitalfields Market in London, might go back and get a Fedora on my next visit later this month. Wish I had an occasion that requires a hot pink top hat, or that vintage leather top hat case.
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Strolling around the arty area of Venice, Dorsoduro, looking in the windows of some of the galleries, this is a quieter area across Academia Bridge, turn left!!
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After climbing up about 70 to 80 steps on a really narrow stone spiral staircase you are up near the dome of the Siena Duomo, from there you get a whole different view looking down into the Cathedral, and up inside the dome.
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Inside Siena Duomo, amazing to think it was built over 1000 years ago, and is still standing in original condition. You can pretty much guarantee that there will be nothing built today that will still be standing in 1000 years!!
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The pulpit in Siena Duomo, and the stairs leading up to it, I can`t get over the fact that people have been walking in here for over 1000 years, and I`m one of them🌞
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Somewhere in Venice - I`m lost again 🤣!!
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Pitti Palace was the home of the Medici family, who ruled over Florence for most of thr period from 1434 until 1737. They lived in absolute luxury in this massive Palace with m massive gardens, chandeliers and sculptures are in every room. On the side of the Palace that didn`t look over their gardens, the windows were higher so the peasants couldn`t look in, so they built little stairs to walk up if they wanted to look out.
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Looking out of the windows at Pitti Palace into Boboli Gardens where the rulers of Florence once lived.
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#pittipalaceflorence #boboligardens #florenceitaly #florencetrip #florencewalk #florence #florencetravel #traveltheworldwithme #traveladdict #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #neverstopexploring #seeeverythingdoeverything #seetheworldthroughmyeyes

The Florence Duomo, all made of marble, hoping to go inside once the Easter crowds disappear, also hoping the Easter crowds do disappear!!
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#florence #florenceitaly #florenceduomo #firenzecityitaly #firenzeduomo #florencetravel #florencetrip #solotravelinitaly #marblebuilding #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #italianhistory #seeeverythingdoeverything #traveltheworldwithme #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #neverstopexploring

David acting cool in Piazza Della Signoria, he`s not the real David. The real one by Michelangelo was taken away for safe keeping inside Galleria dell`Accademia in 1910 and this one replaced him. You are not allowed to photograph the real one. I have no idea who created this David, but I think anyone who can create a David, or even any recognisable shape out of a piece of rock is pretty skilled!!!
The second pic is a bronze sratue of Perseus having severed the head of Medusa. This one is in the Loggia dei Lanzi, just near David.
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The Albert Memorial that Queen Victoria had built after the death of Prince Albert, her husband. It stands in Kensington Gardens looking over the Royal Albert Hall. The second pic is a model of it in the Victoria and Albert Museum.
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Walking up hundreds of steps on a centuries old spiral staircase was a killer, but so worth it for the view from the top of what was going to be the high alter in Siena Duomo, but building stopped in 1339 when the black death wiped out a lot of the population, and it has just stood there like thus for the last 1000 years, it is really high and only about one metre wide!!
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#sienahistory #siena #sienaduomo #sienatravel #sienaduomobellissimagiornata #sienatrip #sienaitalia #viewovertuscany #viewfromthetop #spiralstaircase #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #oldbuildingsmakemehappy #seekandyoushallfind #seeeverythingdoeverything #solotravelinitaly #solotravel #neverstopexporing #traveltheworldwithme

So many photo ops in Venice, I`m loving it, just wandering around, getting lost, getting found again.....beautiful!! 😊
The internet here is a bit difficult at times, so posting photos taken with my camera has become quite an exercise, but we`re getting there.
#Venice #venetiancanals #lovevenice #gondola #exploringvenice #veniceisbeautiful #waterworld #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #venicetravel #neverstopexploring

At the Rialto Markets in Venice, seemed to be a lot of locals shopping there, I bought a punnet of strawberries, so fresh and juicy. I thought the Risstto kits looked like great gift ideas, but bringing food items back to Australia isn`t going to work.
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#rialtomarkets #shoppinginvenice #wherethelocalsshop #fishmarket #fruitandveggies #veniceitaly #venicewalks #venicelife #venicetrip #venicetravel #solotravelinitaly #solotravel #neverstopexploring #seeeverythingdoeverything #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldwithme #travellerau #traveladdict

Flower carts at Covent Garden in London, one of the beautiful market places in London, and has been for hundreds of years.
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Taken from the little balcony surrounding the dome of Siena Duomo. A great experience to be able to go up there, then to go outside to see the views as well as look down into the inside of the Cathedral.
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The old dock yards converted into rows of town houses and canals, so close to the busy centre of London, but so quiet. That`s Tower Bridge in the background of one of the first pic. I`m so pleased I just kept walking that day with no plan, just looking to see what I could find. Follow along and read about my long walk by clicking the link to my website.
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#stkatherinesdock #londoncanals #downbytheriver #towerbridge #livinginparadise #londontravel #londonlife #londonlocals #london #solotravelinlondon #longwalk #londontrip #londonhistory #londonwalks #londoncalling #seeeverythingdoeverything #seetheworldthroughmyeyes

Went on a really interesting tour at the Royal Albert Hall yesterday, behind the scenes and how it came to being is amazing! The new sculptures of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip are looking good.
You have to wonder how it is that without technology they were able to create this magnificent building with all the carved stone work, and then more recently, with technology up the wazoo they stick ugly poles through it to hold up the ugly awning. Sure the awning is great if it`s raining, but seriously!????!!
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#royalalberthall #London #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #londonwalks #londonhistoty #exploringlondon #londontravel #londontrip #solotravelinlondon #solotravel #traveladdict #traveltheworldwithme #seekandyoushallfind

In the main square of Florence, Piazza della Signoria, the Palazzo Vecchio with the Torre di Arnolfo rising from above it, and next to Palazzo Vecchio is Loggia dei Lanzi, full of sculptures from Florence`s history.
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#palazzovecchiofirenze #palazzovecchioflorence #loggiadeilanzi #michelangelosdavidreplica #perseusfirenze #perseuswithmedusashead #piazzadellasignoria #florenceitaly #florencetrip #florencewalk #florencetravel #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #historygeek #solotrip #solotravelinitaly

Further along London Wall, the remains of the hospital entrance, Elsyng Spital, built in the 1300s, but a couple of World Wars were too much for it.....😒 Visit my website by clicking the link in the bio, to read about my long walk through London`s history.
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As I continued my London walk after crossing through Smithfield Market I came across St John`s Gate, originally built in 1148!!! Sure it`s had work done, but still......amazing!! Click the link in the bio to read about my long walk and see all the amazing places I found along the way.
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#stjohnsgate #stjohnsgateclerkenwell #selfguidedwalk #solotravelinlondon #solotravel #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #historicbuildingsuk #londonhistory #london #londonwalks #londonlife #londontravel #londontrip #londoncalling #londonstyle #londonarchitecture #travellerau #traveltheworldwithme #traveladdict #neverstopexploring

The streets of Siena, some are flat, or flattish, they undulate with the terrain they were built on centuries ago, some are steep slopes, some are steep steps, some are a combination three, but all are interesting...
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#sienahistory #sienatravel #siena #sienaitaly #sienatrip #sienaitalia #sienastreets #solotravelinitaly #solotravel #solotrip #italianhistory #italytravel #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #oldbuildingsmakemehappy #seekandyoushallfind #seetheworldthroughmylens #neverstopexploring #neverstoptravelling #traveltheworldwithme #travelinitaly

Inside the Royal Albert Hall as they set up for the next performance, not sure what is behind that grubby screen!
2. Apparently the design of the interior was based on the Colluseum in Rome.
3. The King`s Box, they put different chairs in there when it is used by the monarch, often these seats are given to other members of the family, or friends, or staff to attend performances.
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Spencer House in St James`s, London, is the home built by Diana`s ancestors so they has a place in the city as well as Althorp House where Diana grew up. Both houses are owned by Diana`s brother, the current Earl Spencer.
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#spencerhouse #spencerhouselondon #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #chandeliers #columns #statues #palmroom #stjamess #londonlocals #london #londonwalks #londontravel #londontrip #londoncalling #londonisalwaysagoodidea #seekandyoushallfind #solotravel

On the "beach" side of the Prospect of Whitby on the River Thames. It was originally named The Pelican 800 years ago, the stairs to the river still have that name, later named The Prospect of Whitby after a ship that used to moore out the front. When I arrived at the pub the tide was lapping around the top of the steps, by the time I had finished eating, the tide had gone out completely!! I wasn`t eating for that long, and only one glass of wine!!! The water on the Thames moves fast!!

#theprospectofwhitby #pelicanstairs #pelicanstairslondon #riverthames #historicpubcrawlslondon #londonsoldestpub #londontravel #londontrip #londonlife #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #historiclondon #oldlondonpub #londonwalks #londoncalling #londonisalwaysagoodidea #london #traveladdict #travellerau #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring #solotravelinlondon

The other side of St John`s Gate, looking south. Pic 2 is the detail of the ceiling inside the gateway. Click on the link to my website to read about my walk and all the interesting places I found along the way. I have included a map for others who enjoy a self-guided walk.
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Finding inspiration all over the V and A Museum, all the flattened musical instruments strung across this void with fishing line are certainly an idea if you happen to have a lot of flat musical instruments and don`t know what to do with them!!
2. A 17th century table decoration made of lots of small glass vases hooked on to a larger glass vase.
3. One of Dale Chihuly`s glass creations hanging above the main entrance lobby of the museum.
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#victoriaandalbertmuseum #vandamuseum #musicaldecoration #glasstabledecoration #glassvases #dalechiluly #dalechihulyart #dalechihulyglassinbloom #inspiration #artinstallation #exploringlondon #londontravel #londontrip #londonpics #solotravel #solotravelinlondon #walkalloverthecity #londoncalling #londonisalwaysagoodidea #seekandyoushallfind #seetheworldthroughmylens

St Bartholomew the Great`s Gatehouse, the arch was built in the 1300s as the entrance to the church yard and the little Tudor house was built on top of it in the 1500s. It survived the Great Fire of London and came through both Worlds Wars unscathed. Swipe to see the 2nd picture from inside the church yard looking out. Read about it and all the other things I found on my walk by clicking the link to my website in the bio.
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#tudorhouse #tudorarchitechturalstyle #londonarchitecture #stbartholomewthegreat #stbartholomewsgatehouse #londonhistory #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #historiclondon #londonwalks #londontravel #londonlife #londontrip #londonpics #londoncalling #londonisalwaysagoodidea #londonstreets #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring

All this time I thought it was a TV show 🤣😂 "Computer says no....!" It`s actually a street named Little Britain as in the 1500s The Duke of Brittany lived here. And I liked the City of London bollards, they mean business. Read about my long walk in the south west east end of London by clicking the link to my website in the bio.
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The She Wolf feeding Romulus and Remus is the symbol of Siena. The wolf, lupe in Italian, is also one of the Contradas that make up all the different areas of Siena.
2. Siena Duomo bell tower peaking over the top of other buildings.
3. Porta Camollia, the entrance gate to the walled city of Siena, you arrive at this gate after coming up many escalators from the station.
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#shewolf #lupe #romulusandremus #sienaduomo #portacamollia #siena #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #oldbuildingsmakemehappy #solotravel #sienatrip #sienatravel #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldwithme #traveladdict #travelinitaly #solotravelinitaly

I spent hours wondering around the Boboli Gardens behind Pitti Palace in Florence, some of the stairs are very steep and seem to go on forever, like the ones in the pic behind Neptune`s Island. Then miles further away there was suddenly this giant sculpture of a head, or really just a face and neck.....
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#boboligardens #neptunesisland #reflectionsonwater #giantheadsculpture #parksinflorence #stairsinthepark #stairwaytoheaven #walkinthepark #neptubesculpture #pittipalaceflorence #florenceitaly #florence #florencetrip #solotravelinitaly #seetheworldthroughmylens #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring #seeeverythingdoeverything #seekandyoushallfind