Day 5  This morning we head off in the bus into the city for a city Tour of Florence and an excursion to see the original David by Michelangelo. Very impressive. Mick sculpted from the form he saw in a block of marble and imagined it in his mind. Others created models to help them. There were a number of unfinished sculptures and it was at this time he was commanded by Pope Julius to stop sculpting and to paint the Sistine Chapel.
  We then guided through Florence and shown the beautiful buildings, churches and bridges.  We walk along cobble stones built by the Romans. After our morning tour we have a free afternoon and we have booked a tour to Pisa. we are waiting at what we thought was the pick up point but no one coming. Ross phones the tour company and  we are on the wrong side of the square, eventually hurry across to the correct side and we are on our way. On our way we pass Carrera marble excavations where all the high quality marble comes from.
Pisa is just three large buildings, Baptistry, Church and the Tower. Nice surroundings though. The Tower does have a significant lean and there is a lot of work going on to stabilise it.  We get dropped off back in the city and catch a bus back to our hotel, ensuring we validate our tickets! We are feeling quite confident about using public transport. After getting off the bus we pick up a few beers for beer o'clock and a good laugh at dinner with our dessert of watermelon!  Everyone is having a great time.

Day 6 Wednesday, today we leave Florence  and head to Venice via Bologna and Padova.  There is a total of 55 on the bus. We arrive in Bologna mid morning  and visit the obligatory church/basilica. All are magnificent but so ornate and ostentatious. Bologna is a lovely town with beautiful buildings and historic arcades that were once part of the city's fortifications and defence towers.   We have lunch at a McDonalds, so we can use the toilets. We then depart for Padova arriving mid afternoon. It has been a lovely drive through the Apennines with beautiful scenery and many tunnels. Another basilica, St Anthonys, we leave Padova and head for Venice arriving about 5 pm. After checking in we find a supermarket and stock up on some snacks, but no cold beer! We find a cold beer place and have a drink before dinner. Tonight we head into Venice and have a boat ride in the grand canal and to St  Mark's Square. The buildings are lit up and it looks fantastic, there are a lot of people, but not crowded. Bands are playing in the square with people standing around. For 25euro you can sit down at a bar and have a beer!! It was a magical night and we get back to our hotel near midnight.