Florence and the Ice Cream

Called at Greve in Chianti this morning for a degustation- wasn’t really to our taste – maybe because we’d just brushed our teeth!!😂 Bought a box anyway! On to Florence. We parked up just outside with fab views over the city. Walked in to the Duomo which was massive and stunning. Sooo busy and crowded. Of course, it’s lunchtime again – such bad planning on our part, but this is the time when Rufus prefers to be in the van because it’s too hot outside. We had coffee and pizza which seemed to be the cheapest thing. Only problem was they forgot our order! When it eventually came, it was on a par with a Findus French Bread Pizza ‘off of the 70’s’ !! Not impressed – but even more unimpressed when they tried to overcharge us. They were very apologetic…but they would be, wouldn’t they! Worse was to come. We wandered back over the Ponte Vecchio where I stopped Guy from buying an ice cream till we’d turned the corner. Then we succumbed, forgetting to ask ‘quanta costa’ . I risked having a chocolate one almost knowing it would end in disaster as they pile far too much on a cone. The nice man said pay at the till over there and gave us a ticket. 17 EUROS!!!!! ….for two ice creams ??? OMG! Nearly had a heart attack. I asked if he was joking, but no, that is the going rate in this area, said the scary looking man with tattooed on eyebrows…Oh! Ok then ☹️. Lesson learnt. Thinks got progressively worse as half of it fell down my t shirt – I need a pelican bib. 😢Back to the van, got changed and drove on to Lucca. Lovely town, much more relaxed. Guys cycling buddy told us about a local bar which did its own peach aperitif called Peschici. Very cheap – 3 each – oh dear!!!