Give Me Beef!!!!!

As we were now 4-5 weeks into our trip, we were turning protein deficient. There was no meat in Africa, and the meat in the Central EEU was pretty bad for the most part. So, when we came upon the "Il Latina" restaurant in Firenze, we were totally wired.
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US friends had told us to check this restaurant out, so we did. Upon arrival, we got in queue for when the doors opened. By the time they opened, there were probably 200-300 people in queue...all meat deprived also, and salivating. We started talking to the people in front of us in line, and, surprise, they had gotten married and lived in Rochester for a number of years. Then, the two girls behind us chime in, and one of them had gone to school in Rochester and lived there for a few years. How bizarre is that...4,000 miles away, waiting in a restaurant line, and the 3 groups in a row from Rochester.
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Anyhow, we get in the restaurant, sit down at the community tables, and meet our dining mates. One one side are two longtime lady friends, one from NYC and one from Seattle. On the other is a Swedish former stewardess (70ish, looking about 30) and her granddaughter. We make friends and begin to eat.
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Now eating in Italy is an experience itself, and eating at Il Latina is an adventure. Our model-like Italian waiter just starts bringing us food....endless, humongous portions of food. Antipasto...cheeses...soups...risotto...the food just keeps on coming.
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We're 2 minutes into the meal and already the gal from NYC is telling me to "F off", and the gal from Sweden is telling me how nice it is that I'm not like that NYC gal. The meal spins out of control, as I attempt to get the waiter to ask out the NYC gal, who is longing for some "sweet italian meat" (as I referred to him).
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Finally, the highlight of the evening...they bring the meat platter. We get chicken, beef, lamb, veal, and probably 10 other meats that I have no idea what they were. I'd say roughly 15lbs of meat for the 6 of us. I proceed to move into meat-overdrive, and after NEARLY 2 HOURS of meat only eating, finish the entire plate. The Swedish stewardess looks at me, slowly stands up, and begins to applaud. She say that was the most incredible eating display that she has ever seen in her life. I feel honored and humbled.
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3-4 hours after we start, we finally finish our meals, and roll out the door in a meat-induced stupor. Although it's only about a mile back to our convent lodging, it takes us several hours, as we can barely walk. The meat is just sloshing around inside our intestines.
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If you ever get to Firenze, do Il Latina...you won't be sorry.
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"Meatman" Lumpy out