Non parlo Italiano (“I don’t speak Italian”)
Buonasera! Good evening from Florence, Italy!
This trip has been bittersweet for me, at 1am on Friday morning, my mom called me with news that my grandmother has passed away. As you can imagine it was a difficult night and I didn’t get much sleep after that, since we had to get up at 5am to leave for Pisa. My grandmother was an amazing, beautiful woman who will be greatly missed. I was able to spend some really quality time with her when I was last at home and that is how I am remembering her now. She had many grandchildren and, even when she was really ill, always knew that I was the one out travelling and seeing the world! So, to Italy I went, but I have her in my thoughts and in my heart.
We left Bristol bright and early and landed in Pisa at 10:30am local time. I had to break breakfast into two parts since we were up so early. At 6:30 I had a bowl of yogurt and fruit, and around 9:30 I had a Power Bar.
From my research and what everyone told us, there isn’t much to see in Pisa other than The Leaning Tower, so we decided to just catch that and then head straight to Florence. We are only here for a few days so we have to make the most of our time!
We retrieved our bags and walked outside, hailed a taxi and literally said (in very horrible Italian), “Take us to The Leaning Tower!”
Obligatory cheesy tourist photos
Then we took a train from Pisa to Florence and got settled in our hotel. It had been a long time since we last ate and we were both starving for lunch. I was so excited for my first Italian meal. We settled on a little restaurant nearby in San Lorenzo. We sat right outside and people watched while we ate.
We both ordered pizza! I’m fully indulging on this trip. I figure, if you can’t have pizza and gelato when you’re celebrating your first wedding anniversary in Italy for three days, when can you?!
I kept it simple with a “pizza margherita”:
I had mixed feelings about my first Italian pizza. The crust and cheese were heavenly, but the sauce was really plain and I didn’t see or taste the basil part of the pizza! Matthew got a Mediterranean pizza which was really nice. I would say we both enjoyed it. (I passed a small slice off to him but that was about it!)
We spent the rest of the afternoon just walking around and taking in the sights. Florence is amazing. Right now it is hot and sunny, so we are both recharging after lots of rainy and overcast weather in Bristol lately. After a few hours in the hot sun we decided to indulge in some gelato. There’s a place on nearly every street corner, so we picked one closeby and dug in:
Get this, guys…I had Nutella gelato! Oh my gosh, it was amazing. I didn’t think gelato could be that much better than ice cream, but it is so much creamier and delicious!
I need to wrap this up soon but I just wanted to give you a little taste of our trip so far.
Ponte Vecchio
Matthew is acting as our wonderful tour-guide, and is not one bit afraid to look like a tourist:
I, on the other hand, am trying to blend in and pretend I’m Italian (I just can’t open my mouth or I’ll give myself away!):
With that I will say “ciao,” for now, and hope that everyone is having a lovely weekend!
P.S. Thank you for all the compliments on my hair! I am still getting used to it but it’s nice having it shorter in this heat!
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I’m so sorry for your loss Lara x
I’m so sorry to hear about your grandmother, you’ll be in my thoughts!
Enjoy your trip! I adore authentic Italian pizza and gelato as well
I’m sorry to hear about your grandmother. I hope you are okay.
What amazing photos! Enjoy!!
im so sorry to hear about your grandmother, she sounds like a wonderful women who will be greatly missed.
wow, looks like you guys are having a blast
haha i love the pics of you guys beside the leaning tower! and that gelato sounds amazing..i still havent tried any, but some day i will for sure 
enjoy the rest of your trip!!
Ooh, Lara, I’m so sorry about your grandmother
But I’m sure she’s somewhere smiling about the adventures you’re having in Italy 
I’ve always wanted to try gelato, nutella sounds amazing!! Can’t wait to see all the other Italian goodies, enjoy the rest of your trip!!
First of all, I am so sorry to hear about your loss. Having just lost someone myself, my deepest sympathies go to you and your family.
Second of all, it looks like you guys had a blast in Italy!! I love that country! Since I’ve had real Italian food, I never want to touch pasta/gelato/pizza ever again
I’m so sorry to hear about your grandmother. Live life to its fullest and it sounds like she did. Enjoy your vacation…what’s left of it.
I’m so sorry about your grandmother. She sounds like a wonderful woman <3
Those pictures of you guys "holding up" the tower are so cute
Love all the pics, especially the tourist ones and of course the one of the pizza – yum! too bad about the sauce though… and lack of basil taste.
I’m glad you’re having so much fun!
aww, lara, i’m so sorry to hear about your grandma. i’m sure she’d be thrilled you’re having such a wonderful time in italy — she’s probably watching over you right now and cheering you on.
your pics are so so cute!
ahhh i loved this post!!! your pictures are amazing!! can’t wait to see more!! nutella gelato?! pizza?!!!!!!!1 wowie!!
I’m so sorry to hear about your Grandma. What a special woman.
I’m so sorry to hear about your grandmother, but i just wanted to say that i love your blog! You give me such great food ideas!
I will be going to italy in about 2 weeks (i’m from ny!) and i cant wait! We’re going to Pisa, Rome, Venice, Florence, Tuscany, and the Amalfi coast. It will be my first time in Europe
Can’t wait to see more pictures!
sorry about your g-ma.
LOVE the tourist pics
so cheesy, but very necessary.
of COURSE thats the time to indulge!! yummmmm.
way to “blend” haha, thats sooo what ide be doing, but, like you, my mouth would be shut so as not to reveal the fact that im a yank tourist.
So sorry to hear about your Grandmother Lara. I am glad you got to spend time with her recently
More soon …
I’m so sorry for your loss…It looks like you guys are having an incredible time!! I’m sure you’re grandmother would love to know you are still out seeing the world and living it up
Sorry about your grandma, but glad you could spend time with her the last time you were home.
I love your hair too!
jealous you are in florence – that’s where my husband’s family is from, they live not to far from ponte vecchio.
Glad you are having a good time and indulge away!!
Sorry to hear about your Grandma:(
Glad you were able to see her not too long ago though.
You lucky girl! going to Italy! I would be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous:)
P.S. I wrote this comment on your last post by accident. You can disregard it. hah!
So sorry about your dear grandmother.
Your vacay looks amazing! And what is a trip to Italy without pizza, gelato, and obligatory tourist photos? Not that I have been to Italy (although I would love to, esp as I have a lot of family over there), but I am just imagining.
Happy anniversary!!
Looks like an amazing trip!! Happy 1st anniversary
I’m so sorry to hear about your grandmother, she sounds like an amazing woman.
Be safe and I can’t wait to hear more!!
Lara,
I am so sorry to hear about your grandmother and am keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.
Also, congrats on your 1st anniversary! Many more happy years to come for sure!!!
I am so sorry about your Grandma!!
But your trip looks fantastic!! The gelato and the leaning tower pics are great!!
Congratulations on your anniversary!!
I’m sorry about your loss hun. she sounds like an amazing woman.
your pictures of your trip look wonderful though!!! i’m glad you’re having an amazing time!!!
Oh I’m sorry about your grandma, that’s too bad.
Your trip looks like fun so far, I LOVE gelato. But I’m sure in Italy it’s 100x better than what I’ve tasted.
I try to act like a local everywhere I go too, I used to be really embarrassed when my parents/Dave pointed at something or took a picture because it brought attention to the fact that we weren’t from there…now I’m the one taking photos. Hmm.
I’m so sorry to hear about your grandma Lara. You know I’m here to talk ANYTIME you want to.
So glad you’re getting the chance to relax and unwind a little with Matthew. Have a wonderful time!
I’m sorry about your grandma. That definitely makes your time bittersweet.
But I’m glad you’re getting to do a lot in Italy. It looks like so much fun.
I’ve heard people often dislike Italian pizza. But you have to try it.
Sounds like you are having an amazing time, and enjoying some delicious food! I really would love to go to Italy (my grandparents on my dad’s side were both from northern Italy). Maybe it’ll be an anniversary trip for me in the future.
I am very sorry to hear about your grandmother, I hope it wasn’t completely sudden. Either way, it’s hard to take in and I hope you and your family and doing well.
I’m sorry to hear about your grandmother! My best wishes to you and your family! Just know that she would want you to carry on living a happy, healthy life….so try to enjoy what’s left of your trip!
hey girl so sorry to hear about your grandmother you’ll be in my thoughts and prayers.
enjoy your trip you deserve a great time
I’m sorry to hear about your grandmother, but I know that she is with you on this trip…
The Italy pictures are awesome! Thanks so much for sharing them with us. I can’t really travel right now, and seeing awesome pictures from around the world is great! Enjoy Italy to the fullest – sunshine, food, gelato and all!
I’m so sorry about your Grandmother. I hope that you and your family are ok.
I’m glad you got to get away and enjoy Italy! That is my dream vacation… it looks beautiful and delicious!
Hun, you look gorgeous! I’m sure you’re sick of all the hair comments… but seriously, you look wonderful!!
Also, I’m really sorry to hear about your loss. That definately is very sad to hear. Big hug for you!
I love the cheesy obligatory photos – I’ll be taking some of those myself too! (Very soon – I’m going to Paris on August 5!) The pizza looks yummy!!
Glad you’re having a good time. I’m sure your grandma would have wanted you to do just that.
Lara, I’m so sorry about your grandmother. I think it’s wonderful you’re honoring her by travelling though. I’m sure she’d be happy to know you’re out exploring.
The trip sounds wonderful and I can’t wait to hear more. I’m glad you are indulging, because you seriously should! you’re in Italy!
I am sorry to hear about your grandmother.
But I am sooooooo glad you are enjoying yourself and indulging in all that wonderful food! Happy Anniversary.
im sorry to hear about your grandmother. i hope that you had a great time on your trip, im sure your grandma was happy that you could do something uplifting and spend time with someone you love. that gelato looks amazing by the way!!!
I forgot to mention in my other comment – I am very sorry to hear about your grandmother. She was a very beautiful lady.
As for nutella…one can definitely not go throughout life without trying it. YUMMO!!! Can’t even imagine how good it must’ve tasted on a croissant!
So sorry about your grandmother! I hope the nutella gelato helped with the pain of losing a loved one.
I’m so sorry to hear about your grandmother.
I am planning for a trip to Italy and next moth and for that I have been learning Italian language, you have portrayed Italian world in a really new and dynamic style, nice pictures.
Its really good to know that you are enjoying nowadays, Always keep smiling my friend.