Tag: hop-off

FIRENZE-HOME SWEET HOME

Although I have studied to become a nurse, I have to say that before I started to work in Australia and became passionate about sharing the daily  life with a person with spinal cord injury, I was not aware of all the obstacles that someone on a wheelchair has to face. But sharing this journey has opened my mind and my way of seeing things; and has given me the possibility to be more aware of what  surrounds  me.

So after the period spent in Australia, when I came back to my hometown, Florence, I was watching everything with new eyes and with a different awareness. I must admit that luckily in the last years I have noticed that things have started to change and what in the past had to be sadly accepted, like not being able to catch a bus because not accessible, today is inadmissible and people will speak loud for their rights to be respected.

However, considering that the city’s streets and the buildings in the historical center are at least hundreds of years old, we managed quite well to get around the city; I was also surprised with all the adaptations made in order to allow anyone with a physical disability to access all the attractions without too many problem.

Well, there are so many things you can actually do in Florence but there are a few accessible one that you can’t miss:

  • visit the Uffizi for example (I waited 32 years in order to visit this Museum but was worth it strolling around with someone who actually knew more stuff than  Wikipedia, THANKS CHARLES)
  • visit the Academy Gallery, Piazza Duomo and the cathedral, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, Piazza Santa Croce, Palazzo Pitti, Boboli garden and I could actually keep on writing for hours
  • having a drink and almost touching the Cupola by going to the “Rinascente” shop located in Piazza della Repubblica and visiting the rooftop bar
  • visit the Mercato Centrale and have lunch or dinner in the food court area and hopefully being braver than Charles who did not want to try the Panino al Lampredotto (please do not search what it is or you might not want to taste it too!)
  • admiring Florence from the panoramic Piazzale Michelangelo and from Fiesole a small city just 9KM from Florence that you can easily access by catching the Hop On-Hop Off bus.IMG-20190724-WA0028

 

Moreover, I think that to tick all the boxes, if visiting Florence, you should try a good Bistecca alla Fiorentina which is a must-to-eat and if you are eating it in the “right” place and ask the steak to be cooked “medium or well-done”they should definitely refuse themselves!

 

What else can I say? “Firenze is Firenze” and I think if you are planning a trip somewhere in Italy, this should be one of your first choices (just make sure I am  not around or you will be forced to see me!)

Time to move to our last stop, or I should actually say MY last stop, because “culi rotti” Jessie and Charles are going to Dubai too!

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BUDA AND PEST.. DAYS IN CONTRASTS

The first day in Budapest was full of contrasts, when we arrived at the train station the taxi drivers would still try to rip us off asking an astronomic price for the transfer to the hotel so we decided to take the subway. We got the only “working” lift that took almost 15 minutes to take us in the lower level while we were actually holding the doors together and as soon as we got underground it stopped working! The subway did not have a lift so basically Jessie had to hold Charles on the escalator which was never ending and super steep! (PLEASE DO NOT  TRY THIS AT HOME).

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So the beginning was a bit traumatic and worrying but after that, as soon as we got out from the subway, the atmosphere just changed, because this capital is just an open-air Museum!

Infact, strolling around the two parts of the city: Buda and Pest, was a great experience and everything was pretty much accessible if you are on a manual wheelchair, however if you are using an electric chair you might consider to carry a small foldable ramp, because you might have some issues.

Discovering the historic city centre and getting lost just by staring at the spectacular views  of the Danube river  by crossing the many pedestrian bridges  is already worth the trip but there is soooo much else to do! If you are not willing to stroll around, the low-floor buses are a great way of visiting the city or also the Hop-on Hop-off buses. There was a beer bus offering a tour with unlimited beer but unfortunately they said we could not get on it, not sure if it was because the bus was not accessible or because they were afraid we would finished all the alcohol.

Accessible places we have visited in our 3 days staying: (please be advised that we can not list all the bars we have been to for a problem of space)

St. Stephen’s Basilica which offers wheelchair-accessible amenties, but a companion has to go up the stairs to inform the staff to open the elevator. (You will then have an exclusive view of the secret crypt located underground, that the others will not see and the access is free, yeah there is alaways something positive!)

Visiting the Parliament House or just watching it from the outside it is just shocking not only for his size, it is the 3rd largest Parliament building in the world, but it is a magnificent building.

Margaret Island’s parkland is great to recharge your lungs

River cruises  are a wonderful way to appreciate both Buda and Pest from the water and if you have a Hop-on Hop-off ticket this activity is included in your tour (and yes they do sell alcohol on board, great especially when it becomes a bit windy and the sun goes down)

A great activity that I really recommend is catching the the “Budavári Sikló” which is the funicular that takes you on Buda Castle Hill. This is all accessible and will allow you to stand for hours on top of the city and admiring the view for as much as you want. We went also inside Matthias Church which was just one of the most unique churches I have ever visited.

The House of Terror Museum is a very interesting tour if you have a couple of spare hours, but not definitely relaxing! It contains exhibits related to the fascist and communist regimes in 20th Century in Hungary and it is also a memorial to the victims. Once you are there the Heroes’ Square is a great spot for amazing photos and also worth the visit.

To sum up, although the initial obstacles, I had to change my mind about Budapest, definitely a stunning and quite accessible city,  a bit more challenging if you are  using an electric wheelchair but great if you are planning another trip after Vienna!

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