Tiff and I came close to being medavacked out of the duomo stairwell after about step 400.  Once to the top it was definitely well worth it. From the duomo you can see a complete 360 degree view of the city.  We were also able to see where we live due to our closeness to the Basilica of Santa Croce.  Its pretty crazy that we live right next door to where Galileo, Michelangelo, and Machiavelli are buried. 

I had an extremely boring class today and it is going to be tough to sit through 2 and a half hours of it.  However, I still have the rest of the day to explore Firenze some more. I tried the washer about an hour ago and it is still going.  There is no such thing as 35 minute laundry cycles in Italy.  They said to never leave the house while clothes are in the washer so I am currently waiting for it to overflow.  Of course, after it's done I need to hang dry my clothes from our window.  There is a laundromat down the street with a dryer but I figure I am going to try to assimilate myself as much as possible instead of creating a mini America.

After I finish my laundry I am gonna get the rest of my textbooks, reserve a table at a pub for the super bowl this Sunday (it starts at 12:30 am here), and then check out the famous Boboli gardens.

I am impressed with how much I already know of this city in terms of area and directions, and I am very excited to consider myself a Florentine by the end of my trip.

Ciao Ciao!