May 19–This morning we had an early departure for Florence via boat and high-speed train. The train was extremely comfortable and cruised along at 300 km per hour (186 miles per hour). Upon arrival, we met a coach bus for transfer to our hotel. We checked in and had a little time to settle in before walking into the city center. Once Daniel gave us the lay of the city, we were free to explore on our own for the rest of the day.