Italy, day four: 11/06/17

Another sunny day in Florence, with temperatures reaching 37 degrees. It’s enough to melt your gelati!
Today we visited the Palazzo Vecchio, once home of the Medici family before they moved to the Pitti Palace. There was a large group of re-enactors dressed in eighteenth century clothing. They were there to re-enact the meeting of Grand Duke Ferdinand of Tuscany with Napoleon in 1796. Later in the day we saw another group of re-enactors, but this time in late medieval clobber. I just hope they didn’t meet up with the Napoleonic lot: I’ve got visions of both groups fighting a running battle in the Streets of Florence, over who’s patch it is. They’re a savage bunch those re-enactment societies.
In the afternoon we visited the Academia, which houses lots of fine paintings and sculptures, plus a great little musical instrument museum. The main highlight of the Academia is the truly stupendous statue of David by Michaelangelo. Undoubtedly a classic.

Florence isn’t all about high culture: we also spotted the Old Florence Dixie Band playing in a square. They were playing that old Florentine renaissance classic tune, When the Saints go Marching in! And very good they were too.