sunrise, sunset...and in between

Well, the apartment is empty of our stuff except for our laptops, 2 large duffel bags and 2 very-stuffed backpacks. We head out on the train to Milan in a few hours and we'll be visiting that city until we fly out to the States on Thursday.

blue lights in the piazza • night at the Uffizi • Cellini statue in yellow lights
This past week has been packed with things to do, people to see, places to go, and even some unplanned surprises. On Saturday night we took our customary passeggiata and when we entered Piazza della Signoria, we noticed that there was a stage set up under the Loggia dei Lanzi. We walked past it to get a gelato on Via dei Neri, and when we returned, a larger audience had gathered and so we waited for the show to start. It was one of the free concerts happening around town for the Genio Fiorentino festival. After about 5 minutes a man came out and began playing traditional Florentine music on a fancy acoustic guitar-type instrument, as well as singing and reading poems. Later we headed home full of gelato and a lovely cultural experience. (Here are links to small videos I took...excuse the quality: VIDEO 1 & VIDEO 2.)

On Sunday evening, which was the last day of the Genio Fiorentino festival, we had made reservations for a free night boat trip down the Arno river with the company, Renaioli. This group has a couple barchetti (small boats), which are flat bottomed, and are powered by a man and a really long stick. There were about 12 of us in the boat plus the tourguide at the front and the rower at the back. He drops a small, very long, wooden pole down to the bottom of the river and then pushes us along. It's a very peaceful, quiet ride and every minute or so we'd see the long pole swing over our heads and drop back down again. (Small videos...VIDEO 1 to see a bit of the boat and row man & VIDEO 2 to go under the Ponte Vecchio.)

going under the Ponte Vecchio • Vasari Corridor • another boat passing
It was such an amazing experience to see the citta' (city) from the water. And since it was about 10:30 at night, the lights reflecting on the water made for an even more magical experience. We floated down past the Uffizi and Vasari Corridor, and under the Ponte Vecchio which was lively with music and river-gazers. The next bridge we passed underneath was the Ponte Santa Trinita', which I think is beautiful anyway with the darker stone construction and white sculptures on the archways and ends. I've taken many photos of this bridge since we've been here, but as soon as we rode under the center arch, I looked up and noticed that the white sculpted designs on the stone are actually rams looking down into the water. It's something you'd never know unless you were looking at it from the water. The guide told us that it was the zodiac sign (Capricorn) of Cosimo de’ Medici. About 30 minutes later we were walking back up the ramp to the street level, and it was another one of those emotional times for me. Sometimes the beauty and life here just makes me well up a little.

empty Duomo square • Uffizi in the morning • moon over the river
Yesterday, for our last full day in Florence, we decided to get up really early and make it to the top of Piazzale Michelangelo to watch the sunrise over the city. We were out the door a little after 5am, and were taken aback by how quiet and EMPTY the city was. We walked through Duomo square and we were the only people there...until I pulled my camera out to take a photo, then 2 more people came into view. All the way down the street, into Piazza della Signoria, along the river, across the bridge and up the stairs in San Niccolo, we barely passed 10 people and maybe 3 cars. The moon was still in clear view, but dawn had broken so it was already quite light...but we made it in time to see the sun come over the hillside over Fiesole and the clouds change from violet to orange to white. The sunlight on the rooftops was beautiful and we reveled in being the only people on this lookout point which is normally packed. We even noticed a stage set up and many trailers around...and only found out what it was later in the day as MTV Italia TRL was being filmed here this week. (VIDEO 1 empty streets & VIDEO 2 for view of the sunrise.)

sunrise over the city • blooms with Duomo in background • sunrise
To end our final (full) day here I met with my girlfriends on top of a wonderful hotel near the Ponte Vecchio. There is a modern terrace at the top with dozens of creme pillows lining the benches. We ordered tasty (and refreshing, as it was the hottest day yet) frozen fruit drinks and enjoyed the sunset over the city as we sat and chatted in the shade of a canvas canopy.

view from the terrace • looking down over the Ponte Vecchio • looking towards town
I actually got a good rest last night after waking up so early the following morning, and our day has been filled with last minute packing, cleaning, and all the other things that come with moving. We just got back from our last stop at a pasticceria for a bombolone to-go!

a priestly parade & thermal spa

On Thursday evening Chris and I took our normal passeggiata around town after dinner. The streets were lively and the weather was perfect. We stopped for a gelato at Grom and continued down Via Calzaiuoli towards Piazza della Signoria. We noticed that there were megaphones wired down the street and strapped to the corners of the storefronts. Around 10pm the speakers came on and began to play, what sounded like live church music being pumped in from the Duomo sanctuary. A couple minutes later, all the church bells around the centro tolled simultaneously. We were looking around to see what was going on, but everyone else was just strolling around like nothing was happening. After we wandered around a bit more, we headed back on Via Calzaiuoli towards the Duomo and ran into a huge procession of people (unfortunately I didn't have my camera). The line was lead by several robed priests holding tall candle sticks, followed by flag banners of the catholic health service groups with nuns rolling the invalid in the wheelchairs, or holding the sick by the hand. After that group, there were a lot of official-looking clergy members, all with candles, and then dozens and dozens of church-goers holding program flyers and small candles themselves. We stood on the sidewalk watching hundreds file past us all chanting and singing along with the voices coming from the megaphones. Towards the end there was a large tent held over a (perhaps?) bishop with two other robed men holding the ends of his skirt. Around him were old-fashioned costumed Florentine trumpeters and several Florentine banners.

When we got back home I looked up online what this was and found out that it was the day of Corpus Domini, the celebration of the Eucharist which takes place 60 days after Easter. There was a service in the Duomo, then all the parishioners walk through town to end at another church. While we were standing on the sidelines watching this go by, I became quite emotional...I wasn't exactly sure why, except that it was a beautiful display and so unexpected to us. I found so many times that we'd be out around town and happen upon some sort of festival, celebration, or display of sorts that, most of the time, was an event that had been going on for hundreds and hundreds of years. It's something that I will miss during our time here.

spa in Montecatini • marble pillars at Tettuccio • stained glass on the ceiling
That night I tried to get a good night's rest as Friday morning I headed out with Monika and Melinda for a girls-day-out. I'd been wanting to go to one of Italy's many thermal spas, but hadn't been able to as of yet, so we planned on going to the Tuscan spa town of Montecatini Terme. We narrowed down the choices, mainly by what would be easy to get to by train, as most of the thermal spas are located on villas in the countryside, which are only reachable by car.

None of us really knew what to expect as we stepped off the train, but we'd heard that the town was beautiful and there were many different spa houses to choose from depending on the treatment desired. We walked through the streets to the large spa Tettuccio to walk around. We paid a small entrance fee and got to see the large open spaces with marbled floors and columns, painted frescoed walls and stained glass ceilings, flower gardens, fountains filled with mineral water, and even a small band. By far, we were the youngest people there, as many of the guests were retirees sitting around the tables listening to the live band while they sipped on the healthful, mineral water. We choose not to pay extra for a glass and the allowance to fill up at the fountains, but I did sneek a small handful just to taste. It was almost salty with a tingly aftertaste.

around the Tettuccio spa
Next we headed to l'istituto Grocco to take a dip in the thermal piscina (pool). With our entrace ticket for 50 minutes in the pool, we also received a shower cap (mandatory) and a locker key. We went to the locker room to change into our bathing suits, put on our caps, (laughed a lot at how ridiculous we looked), then walked to the pool. There were about 7 other people in the water wading around and standing under the waterfall...once again, we were the youngest bunch in the room. Unlike many of the country spas, this pool was indoors, but had a nice glass roof to let the sunlight in. The water was warm, and we just chatted and floated for a bit over a half-hour until our skin felt silky and even a little filmy from the mineral residue.

Our time in Montecatini ended with a nice lunch at a cafe, and then we boarded the train for the 50 minute ride back to Florence. It was a great way to spend one of our last days here during this stay...but we'll be back and I'm sure I'll get to visit even more thermal spas around the country!

niente posta

I know, I know...Under the Tuscan Sun is a 'somewhat' cheesy movie (and nothing like the book), but it's just so beautiful (and full of beautiful people ;)) that I can watch it over and over. And one of my favorite quotes is from the old Italian grandma at the dinner table talking about her online boyfriend... and when she finally told him her age, she exclaims, "Niente posta! Niii-en-te posta!". In otherwords, no more mail -ever!

During our time here in Italy we've rarely received any mail. And if there is something that falls out of our steel postbox at the bottom of the stairs when we open it, it's normally the monthly bank statement or bi-monthly telephone bill. We have received about 4 letters in the past 9 months, and those days are always great.

...now, I admit, that I did tell most of our friends and family to just hold off with the packages because you just never know with the Italian postal system if we'd ever get it. Examples here, here, here, here, and here. But flat cards seem to get here just fine.

Nevertheless, most days I get a little sad seeing our empty postbox and want to yell, "Niente posta!" as I walk out the door. (Sometimes I actually do say it out loud :))

But...yesterday we got TWO cards!!! at the same time!!! Exciting news I know...

One was a postcard from Caterina, the older Italian lady who became our adopted grandmother during our trip to Lake Como over Christmas. We've exchanged a couple postcards now and we plan to send her one from Florida as she firmly told us to do! The second was the beautiful wedding invitation of our good friends in St. Augustine. I was so excited to get their invitation since their save-the-date card was so great, their wedding site is adorable, and not to mention he's a creative graphic designer. We're getting so excited about all the festivities that will be happening around the time we get to St. Augustine, since so many of our friends will be in town for the party!

Speaking of being back in Florida...we leave Florence in less than a week and our days are filling up quickly with 'to-dos', places to visit, people to see, and bags to pack. I'm getting excited for the next part of our life-adventure, although we're still not completely sure what that entails at this point. It will be nice to discover what unfolds, and we know Italy will be a part of that somehow.

may flowers...and showers

il giardino degli iris • painter in the garden • amongst the olive trees
Yesterday morning I'd planned to meet up with my friends Melinda and Monika for breakfast, so I headed out about 9:15 and walked to Palazzo Strozzi only to find the cafe closed and Monika unable to come as she was stuck in line at the Agenzia dell' Entrate trying to get her codice fiscale (tax ID code) issued. So Melinda and I headed across the street to Caffe' Giacosa, a popular cafe owned by the Florentine fashion designer, Roberto Cavalli. We enjoyed paste (pastries) and cappuccini while catching up a bit.

The weather has been quite rainy since Friday evening, and the forecast isn't promising for most days this week. But because yesterday morning was dry, Melinda had mentioned going up to visit the Giardino degli Iris (Iris Garden) as she wanted to try out a new camera; and since tomorrow was the last day for the exhibit, we'd figured that it was best to see when at least the weather was holding out. So we headed across the river up towards Piazzale Michelangelo where the garden is located. I'm so glad we went, as it was a great morning walking through the rows and rows of flowers with a wonderful view over the citta' (city). The entire garden was set in an olive grove, so we weaved in and out of the paths, under branches and around benches. I saw a couple artists sketching or painting and many people just milling about taking in the beauty. There were several layers of flowery aroma, from several rose bushes intwined in olive branches, and a yellow patch of flowers which the bees loved, to a bush of jasmine-like blooms. Too bad irises don't emit a smell, or I'm sure it would have been even more overwhelming.

wildflowers • roses • water lily
We walked back over the Arno, and down Via dei Neri (which was full of the local calcio (soccer) team, Fiorentina, flags everywhere because of their big win yesterday), before parting ways. Even on the way home I past more flowers hanging in the streets and off window boxes. I'd just made it home for lunch before a HUGE rainstorm hit. It was an immediate downpour that turned the entire sky white with water. So glad we made it back before the bad weather set in again.

Later in the evening, Chris and I took another one of our "Florence Fieldtrips" to the Basilica di Santa Maria Novella. There is a wonderful 10-day festival going on now in town called Il Genio Fiorentino (The Genius of Florence) which showcases the rich history of cultural, artistic, and scientific achievements that were born from this great city. There are free guided visits every evening of churches, palaces, and museums around town. Since Santa Maria Novella was still on our 'must-see' list before we leave, we decided to go last night as it was opened for free guided tours.

street after a win • hanging flowers • Santa Maria Novella
From this virtual tour you can get a good idea of the church's facade. When we walked in to the courtyard, we were greeted by a volunteer who asked if we spoke Italian, we answered, "si'" and we were escorted inside to a group of about 6 older Italian people and a volunteer tourguide. There were many groups scattered throughout the church interior, and there was a hum of voices as the history was explained. It was really astounding to see the various styles and artist time periods represented in one room. So many narratives could be spoken about the part this church played in Florence's history, from the transfer in 1221 to the Dominican Order, to continued additions, improvements and construction for the next several hundreds of years. We learned of the powerful Florentine families who paid for their faces to be painted in frescos, the large hanging cross painting by Giotto, and a pulpit designed by Brunelleschi (where the Dominicans first attacked Galileo for saying the Earth wasn't the center of the universe). There is a small marble piece (unmarked) carved by a young Michelangelo, and such wonderfully preserved frescos that burst with color and intricate stories.

We had a nice time discovering this treasure and it was endearing to see that most of the volunteers were of the older Florentine generation, who have taken it upon themselves to pass on the importance of their city to others.

It's pouring notstop today so far again, but I'm glad we found some breaks in the clouds yesterday to enjoy the city.

want to visit the italian countryside?

imagine driving through over the Tuscan border into the Umbrian countryside, passing rows of cypress, red poppies and green fields of winter wheat, and finally you arrive...
Do you remember when I posted a couple of weeks ago about our lovely trip to the countryside? Well, if you need a recap, please check out PART 1: weekend in the countryside and PART 2: antiques in arezzo for a photo tour of our time. While I wrote those posts, I subtly mentioned "our friends" that we visited. Many of you out there in the blogosphere may know who we were with, but I wanted to whet your appetite for what you, too, could experience in the Umbrian hillsides overlooking Tuscany.

...and now for the big reveal....

We spent that wonderful weekend with Julian and Amanda of A Tuscan View from Umbria blog, along with their two girls and adorable dog, Tartufo!

So, "Why?", do you ask, did I wait to tell you this? Because I was also waiting for their new website to launch promoting the dream that made them move to Italy. ARTIST IN ITALY is their new site of their 'Painting Holidays in Tuscany & Umbria'. After spending about a year and a half restoring a beautiful Umbrian villa, they are ready to take reservations for art-retreat holidays beginning in September 2008.

• take a walk and enjoy the countryside •
• you can even meet Tartufo •
• and, did I mention that this is your view from the house? That's Chiusi in the sunset •
"Set in the inspiring Tuscan and Umbrian countryside, Artist in Italy is offering painting holidays for people who love art, Italy, good food and wine. The week-long painting and drawing courses have been carefully designed for both beginners and intermediate artists who would like to improve their skills and techniques."
Visit their site ARTIST IN ITALY to read more about their location, classes, regional fieldtrips, and the process of transforming their home into a studio. We can give all the "thumbs up", "5-stars", and "A+s" to the beautiful location, gifted teacher, and overall wonderful hosts!

more fieldtrips

courtyard of the Bargello • park in San Niccolo • blooms by the river
Last Friday we checked another Florence "must-see" off our list. Just after lunch, we walked past the Duomo, down Via del Proconsolo, and into the doors of the Palazzo del Popolo (Palace of the People), otherwise known as the Museo Nazionale del Bargello (Bargello Museum). One of the premier sculpture museums in Europe, centuries ago this old palace was one of the main places for public executions in the growing Florentine empire.

We admired the open courtyard, shadowed by the large palace tower, and the walls full of coats of arms. Walking to the primo piano (first floor...*note: European "first floors" are American 2nd floors), we saw the Bargello poster-child, Donatello's David, which caused much commotion when it was made as it was the first freestanding, male nude in the Renaissance...also that it was a depiction of such a young male with a somewhat "girly" stance, features, and hat. Although this piece is going through a major cleaning, and thus is laid on its side in a roped off area, it's still viewable, and perhaps an interesting way to see the care put into restoration of these important pieces. Another interesting exhibit in the same room is the two bronze pieces submitted by Ghiberti and Brunelleschi during the competition of who would be commissioned for the grand doors of the Florentine Baptistry across from the Duomo entrance.

On the secondo piano (second floor), there were several rooms closed, unfortunately, but we did browse a bit before heading once again to the ground floor into the Michelangelo room, which displays several interesting pieces, including the drunken Bacchus, who's slightly open mouth with teeth carved inside made me stop for a while and stare. We exited the stone courtyard, and walked past the pasticceria on Via del Corso to get a hot afternoon ciambella.

panoramic view from Piazzale Michelangelo
The weather has continued to be lovely, and on Sunday evening, we walked up to Piazzale Michelangelo for a view before sunset of the city. As we crossed the river, we noticed how bright pink blooms were popping up on the river banks, and the trees of the park in San Niccolo are slowly turning more and more green. It was a pleasant walk up to the lookout, and nice to see the city from this vantage point again. We come up to this area quite regularly, but 99% of the time opt for the view from San Miniato al Monte. There are always less crowds, I think the view is better, and you're surrounded by one of the city's most gorgeous and interesting churches and courtyards instead of the parking lot and snack stalls at the famous Piazzale. Although a bit crowded, it was nice to see the hustle of people on an evening stroll. And there's just something about that view...it really doesn't matter where you're standing, it always feels magical.

here's a video that will give you a feel of the Piazzale
*note: if you're reading through and email you have to click into the blog post online to view*

smells of the city

This will be a strange sort of post, but it's one of those weird, everyday observations that I've come to pay even closer attention to as I'm trying to be more aware and present at all times. So...I've noticed that my nose has become accustomed to the many smells that Florence emits.

You know how everyone has their own "house smell" - that indistinguishable mixture that you can't put your finger on exactly what it is...maybe the food they cook, the laundry detergent they use, mixed with the brand of soap by the sink, and the spice rack on the table. Who knows, but it becomes a part of the house and family who live there. Florence has a smell that I've come to familiarize myself with. There are pleasant aromas, but overall it's not a smell that would inspire a perfume or anything.

Like many cities, I'm sure...If I had to sum up the nuances of aromatic notes on the streets, I'd say it's an overtone of diesel exhaust, mixed with varying bouquets of cigarette smoke, and a hint of dog poop. Let's bottle it up today!

But, there are a handful of refuge points in town where my nose is at liberty to breathe in a lung-full of wonderful fragrance. One is when walking past the famous, Farmacia di Santa Maria Novella on Via della Scala. If I'm walking at a normal speed, when I pass the entrance way to this shoppe, I normally have about 2 full inhalations before I need to begin holding my nose once again to avoid grimacing as the puffs of motorino and bus exhaust blow in my face.

OFFICINA PROFUMO FARMACEUTICA
DI SANTA MARIA NOVELLA
Via della Scala 16, Firenze • (39) 055 21 62 76This is one of the oldest pharmacies in the world, and was begun by the Dominican monks who began mixing herbal remedies here in 1381. By the 16th century, a full-fledged apothecary and pharmacy was opened and the original machinery and recipes are preserved in the entry hall. The old concoctions from the monks are still used and the products, from herbal liqueurs, soaps, incense, teas, lotions, and perfumes still contain the flowers and herbs from the hills surrounding the city. Whenever I've taken the time to walk inside and mill around, I never want to leave because the aroma is so overwhelming and relaxing.

Another place in town where I brace my olfactory gland for a powerful whiff of fragrance, is on Via del Corso when I pass the store Lush.

LUSH
Via Del Corso, 23/r, Firenze • (39) 055 21 02 65When we first moved here and I was still finding my way around town, I'd know if I was on the Corso if I'd pass the "smell-good" store. This shop is a brand of handmade bodycare products all made with fresh ingredients: from chocolate face-masks, strawberry & caramel hand lotions, and hazelnut skin scrubs, to milk bath balls, avocado soap, and mint body balm.

There are also the countless pasticcerie (pastry shops) around town where the fresh sweet dough goodness wafts out of the doorway, and especially at the early morning or late afternoon hours when the fresh ciambelle (donuts), bombolone (filled donuts), and cornetti (croissants) come hot out of the oven. Luckily enough, after you've stopped by LUSH, your nose can get an immediate treat right next door at one of my most favorite places for donuts.

CUCCIOLO BAR & PASTICCERIA
Via del Corso, 25r, FirenzeSince we've been doing our regular "Florence Fieldtrips" several times a week now to see some of the things we've missed before we leave, we make quite regular afternoon trips to this pasticceria at 4:30 in the afternoons for the extra hot ciambelle. I always ask for the ciambella vuota (plain/empty donut), but they also have the filled kinds with chocolate, nutella, apricot jam, blackberry preserves, and vanilla creme. If you're lucky enough to get one from the oven, you'll see them roll them in a plate of sugar and they're so hot that you have to hold them with about 3 napkins!

PASTICCERIA MARINO
Piazza Nazario Sauro, 19r, Firenze • (39) 055 21 26 57We don't make it over to this shop as often, because it's across the river, but it's a lovely place with the bakery in the back, a small coffee bar (which most pastry shops don't have), and an extensive case of mouth-watering pastries at decent prices. They are known for the croissants, but at 4 in the afternoon the donut case are refilled with a warm batch and these are what I go for.

In fall and winter the streets are filled with roasted chestnut vendors, and in the spring there are the occasional whiffs of new flora wafting through the air. There are plenty of smell-refuges around the streets for leather-lovers. I'm not to fond of the tons of cow and lamb carcass skins hanging all over the place...but the smell is definitely Florentine (and better than Fido's special package left on the sidewalk).

These are some of the smells of this city and I've come to enjoy the mixture.

antiques in arezzo

finds at the antique market
After our exciting Saturday around southern Tuscany and the Umbrian countryside, on Sunday our friends took us to the Tuscan town of Arezzo. Every first Sunday of the month, this city holds its famous Fiera Antiquaria (antique fair) which is spread up and down all the streets, alleys, and squares of the city center. There are over 500 antique vendors with everything from jewelry, books, oil paintings, original edition comic books, tapestries, linens, furniture, frames, tin toys, carved wooden doors, stamps, postcards and almost anything you could think to collect.

street filled with vendors • under the Vasari Loggia • in Piazza Grande
The very first stall we came upon was full of books and comics, so a new Dylan Dog was added to our collection. We meandered up the street past many frames of silver, pine, and iron leaning against the stone walls and tables of bric-a-brac being picked through by tourists and Italians from all regions. As soon as we got to the first intersection, I looked to the right and left down the crossway and each strada (street) was just as full of antique vendors as was the current one on which we stood. We quickly came upon a small piazza with the Basilica di San Francesco, which we were able to step in for a little bit to see the Legends of the True Cross by Piero della Francesca. Since it was Sunday mass, we had to view it from afar...luckily our friend teaches art history and was able to explain much of this massive fresco to us from the prints in the back of the church. As soon as we exited the silent hall, the hum of shoppers filled the air once again and we continued the trek through town.

picking out linens • tables with textiles • an interesting vendor
Soon we were at the Vasari Loggia, a hall of old shops with a covered sidewalk and archways leading to Piazza Grande, the culmination of the fair. Here is where Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun and Bella Tuscany, writes about buying things for her villa in Cortona. I searched through some stalls of bed linens and found a couple white embroidered pillow cases. Notice, I didn't say a "pair" of cases, as the two I chose don't match...but it's nice to find mismatched linens with different stories behind them (not that I know the stories, but at least I can imagine two stories now instead of one).

After a small lunch at a cafe under the shade of the Loggia, we inspected several more streets and even found the cathedral, near where a scene of La Vita e' Bella (Life is Beautiful) was filmed. This town was the main backdrop of the first part of this internationally famous movie, and there are even plaques around the city at certain sites, marking scenes from the film.

I recommend anyone in this area to make a point to visit Arezzo during the antiques fair...it's a wonderful experience and fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon. We had a fun time and it was a nice way to end the great weekend that we'd spent with friends and Italian springtime.

a weekend in the country

views from our walk in the countryside
On Friday we headed out for a weekend in the countryside with friends, a dog, and lots & lots of green...

We took a train south to the town of Chiusi, where our friends picked us up and drove just over the Tuscan border into Umbria and to their lovely home that they've been restoring for the past year and a half.

chiusi cathedral • details from the facade • doorway in chiusi
That first evening, was just spent talking, walking around the property, talking, watching the sun set over Chiusi, enjoying wine and dinner, and talking even more. We slept so peacefully in the quiet of the country, and woke up to a beautiful Saturday morning. About mid-morning we left to explore the small, Tuscan town of Chiusi which is home to some of the ancient Etruscan ruins in Italy. We visited the cathedral and wandered the quaint streets. There weren't too many people around, especially tourists, although there was a pleasant "buzz" amongst the locals walking their dogs, kids in the park, and shop owners lingering in doorways. We learned that during WWII, many deserters, escaped POWs, and other soldiers hid in the Etruscan ruins buried below the city.

cypress by the lake • view from the fortress • triangular tower
After leaving Chiusi, we drove to Castiglione del Lago on Lake Trasimeno, one of the largest lakes in Italy, which even contains 3 islands. We've spotted this town out the windows of the train before on many occasions as we passed through this region. I was always curious about the lake and this town that juts out into the water with a large fortress at the end. The most prominent tower on the fortress walls is a triangular shape, said to better defend against cannon balls, since the angles of the tower walls would tend to repel the cannon balls in another direction after impact and not take the brunt of the blow as would a straight-on wall. We visited the interior of the walls where there is an amphitheater and small olive garden, before walking around the top of the wall and over to the adjoining palace. In the distance, we could see colorful kites and even a hot air balloon from the annual Coloriamo i Cieli festival, which is one of several air show events in Italy during the springtime.

pet graveyard • view of umbrian villa • WWII shell in the grass
Back at the house, we enjoyed a spread of fresh, mixed bruschetta and pecorino at a wooden table outside under the shade of a tree. Then we started a walk around the area, which led us to some amazing views and stories. We kept repeating how green everything was...fields winter wheat swaying in the wind, looming cypress trees dotting the roads, silvery olive trees with the small beginnings of blooms, and the occasional patch of red poppies. I think this was one of the flowers I most looked forward to seeing in Italy. They always make me smile, and they have the stereotypical postcard look to them. They also are unique in that you must enjoy them where they grow, because when they are picked, they look and become flimsy so there is barely enough time to even make it from the field to a vase. We traipsed through the woods, past a pet graveyard, around dirt roads bordered by colorful fields, on small hills with views over the countryside, and even past a few old artillery shells from WWII that were still lodged in the ground here. We were told of many wartime stories that happened in this area, which reminded me of the stories we were told during our stay in Chianti back in November. I always have a hard time picturing how it must have been during that time; and even though it feels like another world, many WWII soldiers are still alive today (including Chris' grandfather who fought in Italy).

sunset over chiusi • house behind the trees • through the screen
After a bit more walking, a slightly pink neck from the sun, and more photos, we settled in for another late evening full of wonderful food and lots of conversation. We are so thankful to our friends for their hospitality - it was an outstanding way to spend the weekend...but it wasn't over...

...the next morning we were off to Arezzo...

florence fieldtrips

Almost everyday since last week, we've been taking small afternoon "fieldtrips" around the city, checking off our "things-to-see" list. Last week I posted about our walk to Santa Felicita, and on Monday this week we went to Santa Trinita. This church used to be outside the old city walls, but was later build onto, although once inside we saw old stone walls of the original Roman design.

fresco in Santissima Annunziata • glass atrium • church interior
Tuesday afternoon we headed to the church Santissima Annunziata which held another piece of work by Jacapo Pontormo (who'd drawn us to Santa Felicita' last week). I researched where several more of his pieces were around town, and this free-entrance church also held a fresco of the Visitation. It was another beautiful spring day, and the church has a lovely glass enclosed atrium area where we lingered for a bit before heading inside. I never would have known how expansive this church was, by seeing the outside. I've walked passed this place dozens of times since some friends of ours live on the street next to it, but never knew what was to be found inside. There was a small prayer time being conducted, and surprisingly there were quite a few patrons in the pews. We walked around the walls and towards the alter, then outside to a small courtyard of cloisters, before heading back towards the piazza.

Santissima Annunziata • sea moster fountain • Piazza Santissima Annunziata
The Piazza Santissima Annunzziata is a great one in which to dawdle. There are 2 fountains with spitting sea creatures and a wonderful view of the Duomo looking down Via dei Servi. Only once have we really stopped to tarry in this square, which was to eat lunch on the sunny steps of a hotel across from the Hospital of the Innocents...but I do normally slow my steps when I walk through the piazza because I enjoy the liveliness that is always present. The view of the Duomo in the distance is one of Chris' favorites and I agree that it is always a refreshing site to see when we walk through the city.

Yesterday afternoon we stopped in a pasticceria (pastry shop) on Via del Corso for the ciambelle (donuts) that come hot out of the oven at 4:30, and continued around the corner to the Badia Fiorentina, one of the first churches in Medieval Florence, and also the residence of a painting by Filippino Lippi. Although the hours are posted to be open from 4:30-6:30 everyday, we found out that it's a silent prayer room only during this time and is open for tourist visits on Mondays 3-6:30...so we sat for several minutes in silence about 3 feet from the painting, Apparition of the Virgin to St Bernard which was my main inspiration for visiting...then decided to just come back on Monday to explore the rest of the church.

our view from the steps of Santa Croce
When we left the church we walked towards the piazza at Santa Croce, which has been hosting a market of sorts over the past couple of weeks. We browsed the booths of wine, cheese, dried meats, lavender soaps, and Sicilian pastries, before sitting on the steps to the church just to people watch. It was so nice to sit in the sun and watch tourists and locals alike stroll through the square. The rows of apartment buildings lining the piazza looked colorful in the sun, and when I looked up, I know I saw Dante's statue even crack a smile.