Wet and windy Firenze

Tuesday 28 October 2008

I had rung and booked a seat on the free bus tour for the Mugello Culla del Rinascimento exhibition. I had to be at the bus station by 8.45. We finally left at 9.15. I'm the only non-Italian speaking person on the bus. It was an unbelievably interesting and good day but also a very difficult day. Everything was in Italian, instructions, guide, etc. So it was a struggle for me to work it all out. We travelled around the Mugello region. The countryside is absolutely stunning and quite different to that seen on other trips. The four locations were marvellous – the convent of Bosco ai Frati in S. Piero a Sieve, the town of Vicchio, Borgo S. Lorenzo and Scarperia. We finally got back to SMN at 6.30. After getting back to the apartment and tidying up I headed out for pizza at Pizzeria Dante, which I had heard good things about.

Bosco ai Frati

Can't believe I leave on Friday - at first it seemed like I had forever here and now it seems as though I've barely been here at all - very nervous about fitting everything back into suitcase. I've done quite well, seen all things I planned to see, been most places I planned and some places I certainly had no idea about. I went into a fabulous lolly shop in the city today, Mignone. There was so much variety I couldn't make a decision so walked out with nothing. It's that way with most shops, everything is quite expensive - in fact I wouldn't even considering paying at home what I've been paying here - and everything is in such abundance that my mind just goes blank.

Alice's Mask Shop Florence

I finally got to Alice's mask shop and it was open. Absolutely gorgeous. The masks are handmade and so beautiful, about 60 euro each.

Today it has been raining on and off - it's not too bad actually but the traffic is horrendous, just like at home when it rains I guess.

PS the place is really gearing up for October 31 - Halloween - thank God I leave in the morning otherwise I think the traffic, etc would be awful. 

 

Thursday 30 October: One more sleep

Last night I was thinking it's too soon to come home but today Firenze put on a show for me. It is freezing cold with strong winds and pouring with rain. I was in the middle of it along with lots of other people. It lasted about one hour and now it has cleared up with blue skies and sunshine - unbelievable!

Ponte Santa Trinità

Went searching for some recommended shops and coffee places and could not find them. I walk down the same streets time and time again and every time I see something different. A shop may be closed and, if so, it may as well not exist, you simply don't see it. Late in the afternoon, cold and wet, I stopped at the super-expensive caffè Paszkowski, and had the most expensive icecream of my life - it was a bit yummy but about $18. I also called into the fashion and wine exhibition at Orsanmichele museum. It was a little bit interesting but surely I must have missed the main event?

On Wednesday it was still a bit rainy and changeable so I decided against leaving town I revisited the Academia and saw David again. I finally got a photo of my landlady's cheeky cat, Cicca. Visited the Bigallo museo and saw the Leonardo da Vinci exhibition. Interesting! Finally, I bought a few lollies from Mignone to bring home.

My landlady Miriam came visiting yesterday to ask about my leaving on Friday - we had a long chat, which was really good. Although her English terrific it is a thousand times better than my Italian. We talked about home life, travel and politics.

Dolcissimi in Florence

I had a very busy Thursday. I lunched at i Fratellini, a lard panino and a small glass of Brunello – fabulous. Then I went to Dolcissimi in via Maggio to buy chocolates for my landlady and the person who cleaned the apartment. Finally, I walked all the way up via dei Serragli almost to Porta Romana looking for a flower shop but couldn’t find it. So I headed across ponte Santa Trinita almost to the Duomo to get a book and then on to the train station where there was a flower shop. Finally, I went to Hemingways for chocolates to take home and a last visit to my favourite Bar OiO for my final vodka tonic and to say thanks.

After paying Miriam for the apartment and handing out the presents, she promised to arrange a taxi for me in the morning to the train station. I had my final meal in Florence at Bene Vobis.

Friday 31 October 2008: Homeward bound

I was up very early to pack and say my goodbyes then off to catch the train to Rome. The train was very late but I had a fabulous seat, a single with space next to me for my case. By the time I got to the airport it was about one hour later than I had planned and I was a tad stressed, also hungry and tired. The flight to Dubai was okay, I was lucky I had a very nice couple sitting next to me who had come from Nice and we chatted the whole time. I got upgraded to business class in Dubai because of the kerfuffle at Rome airport (they didn’t give me the seat I had booked), so that was super nice. 

And so ends the brief description of my Tuscan travels.

Hot, hot, hot in Firenze

Saturday 25 October 2008

Today started off cool (Saturday) but it rained and now it is unbelievably hot and humid.

Tavernelle,Chianti region

Machiavelli winery

On Thursday I went on the commune sponsored tour of Chianti region, only 15 euro and what a fantastic day. 

A bit cool and overcast but fabulous. It was soooo quiet in the country. We did a tour of two wineries and tasted Chianti Classico and Chianti Riserva. We had lunch at the first winery - bread, olive oil, meat, cheeses and some salsas also vin santo to drink for afters – very, very nice. The second winery was beautiful, it is called Machiavelli and is the house where he was exiled and where he wrote the Prince - what a fantastic location and a beautiful winery. We also visited Tavernelle, San Donato in Poggio and San Casciano. We popped into a couple of extremely ancient churches, visited a place where they show off artisans’ work, and saw how they do lace making - they had a display of the lace designs that Ferragamo used for his shoes. We also visited a little shop where we saw wood carving. The owner also does restorations. Apparently, he has been doing work for the Pitti Palace. I bought a bottle of Chianti Classico 7.5 euro, which is a good price but I should have waited and bought the Riserva which was absolutely wonderful at 25 euro. It was a very long day but a really good one.

Friday I headed off to Pisa - it is a funny sort of place. The trains were absolutely chockers - people going to Pisa airport. It is a really big town and I had about a 20 minute walk from the train station to Campo dei Miracoli - crossing the Arno. The area is quite beautiful with lots of very green grass. 

Baptistery Pisa

I only visited the Cathedrale which is ginormous and took pics of the LTP but didn't climb it. I had a sandwich and water at a little shop called Canguro – but didn't realise til I got home. As an Australian, I should have noticed and asked him why he called it Kangaroo. The train home was also packed.

Saturday - a slow start but a great day - bought the newspaper La Reppublica and pretended to read it with my coffee at Caffe Ricchi. Headed off the Palazzo Strozzi for the exhibition - Catherine and Maria de'Medici: Women in Power, which was really great. It cost 10 euro but worth it. Next, I found a little erboria (not a chemist but a place that sells soap, hand cream, etc and where they will make up potions for you). I bought some soap and hand cream. Then I headed to Palazzo Medici Riccardi to see the exhibition there – Mugello Culla del Rinascimento. That was truly excellent at 5 euro. They had a computer thingy - you stood in a lighted circle and pointed and the pictures changed but not for me. No matter what, it just would not work. I headed off and sat down for lunch at Amor di Vino at the back of the food markets. I had pappa al pomodoro (tomato soup with bread), escalope limone and a glass of Lamole di Lamole Chianti Riserva (which I'm not too sure about, it was nice but didn't taste riserva quality). While I was lunching I read the ticket from the exhibition and so there was a free bus tour tomorrow so I went back to Palazzo Medici Riccardi but I have to ring a number. I hope it is not too late.

After a quick wander around looking at all the shops I ended up at Santa Croce so walked back past the Uffizi across the Ponte Vecchio past Palazzo Pitti to my little internet place.

Firenze Bulletin

Wednesday 22 October 2008

I headed to the train station to catch a train to Pistoia but just missed one so I searched for the Marino Marini museum – it was well worth visiting plus I could get in free when I went to the museum in Pistoia. So back to the train station where I caught the slooooow train to Pistoia. 

Pistoia

Pistoia Baptistery

Funny little town – very, very quiet. Visited my second Marino Marini museum for the day - he was actually born in Pistoia - some really interesting pieces of sculpture, paintings and some great family photos. Had very nice lunch at their caffe, sat in the garden and had bruschetta - a large slice of lightly toasted bread with a thin layer of cream cheese, tomato, corn, ruccola and ham - really tasty. Wandered off to see the rest of the town and while I was taking photos in the Piazza del Duomo I was "accosted" by a man, who asked if I was by myself - he is a retired teacher and obviously dying to speak to people, so he "dragged" me around town, pointing out all the interesting sites - things I would never have noticed. We went into the Bank of Siena which is in the most fantabulous building. We were chatting and wandered around town but he then picked up a Dutch couple and we started the whole trip again. I was going to buy him a drink or coffee but had to say arrivederci and head off the train station. I just missed a train to Florence. Sitting on the platform for the next train when I hear it is in ritardo (only Italian in Pistoia) - okay. Next thing I look at the noticeboard and the train is going to Lucca - help! Rush down the stairs to look at the big noticeboard - my train seems to have disappeared but there is a slow train to Florence in 5 minutes from another platform. I race up the stairs, down the platform, cross the tracks and jump on the train - oh boy.

Back home I decided to head to Sabatino's for dinner. It is just outside the San Frediano gates and supposedly where locals eat – well, maybe, but it was a bit ordinary. I had insalata mista and rosbif with potatoes - they came together - on separate plates - the rosbif was two thin slices of very rare meat barely warm with small worn out potatoes. I’m guessing that even though this was on the menu, it was definitely not the thing to choose. The salad was quite nice. The glass of red wine tasted good but had a kick to it.

Yesterday I wandered around town looking for of all things somewhere to get a manicure. I found lots of men's hairdressing places that did them but eventually made an appointment for this morning at a very prestigious place right on the main street. There was a huge student demonstration in the city, it's been on the news for ages but still don't know what it is about - must have been thousands of students milling around Piazza del Duomo and the streets running off from it. The roads were blocked, there were police and chanting, slogan-waving students everywhere.

Visited the Museum of Belle Arti to see the Giovanni Fattori exhibition - this was really interesting and certainly different from all the old artwork I have been looking at. On the way home I had a cup of hot chocolate at Rivoire, almost solid chocolate, no milk - just thick chocolate. I was nearly home when I saw a hairdressing salon, popped in and they did my nails then, so had to ring up the other place this morning to cancel.

Also last night I went to see La Boheme at St Mark's English church in via Maggio - about 5 mins walk away. Couldn't find anywhere to eat, so after walking around in circles finally came back to Ristorante Ricchi in Piazza Santo Spirito - well, it was an excellent meal and I didn't have my camera with me. While I was there a gentleman started chatting to me, he'd just arrived in Florence from Abruzzo. Because I didn't have much time before the opera, he helped out with the service. We chatted across tables and he even offered me some of his wine but I said that I would fall asleep in the opera if I had another glass. I had salmon risotto, which was truly beautiful to look at and tasted really good, with a small side of caviar. A little free appetiser was tiny fish fillets maybe herring, very tasty. So, mille grazie signore and signorina and off to the night at the Opera. The church is lovely. I think it is still a consecrated church. There was a good MC who explained what was going on - not an opera but scenes from the opera - and four wonderful singers. I cried at the end not just because Mimi was dying but because Musetta pawned her earrings to buy her friend a muff for her frozen hands. Then a quick race back home through the dark streets and crashed about 11.30.

Tomorrow, I have to get up early as I have my extremely cheap commune organised trip to the Chianti region. I am really looking forward to that.

More hot weather and walking in Firenze

Sunday 19 October 2008

Well, it's Sunday - I've been here a bit more than two weeks - still very hot, yesterday was coolish but the promised rain has not arrived -don't know whether I'm pleased or not.

Since I last emailed I've finally visited the Duomo, Baptistery and the Duomo Museo - all fantastic and, as usual, unphotographable (my new word!). The ceilings and walls are amazing. I also visited Santo Spirito cathedral which has only just been opened for the first time in 20 years - fantastic church. I keep getting to places at mass time, but this was nearly over. The masses I have hit upon tend to be sung and this one was stupendous - the cathedral is huge and I think the priest had a microphone - when he sang the sound just reverberated around the room and it was just fabulous. Apart from attending masses, I have also become totally decadent. I stopped at Rivoire one evening and had a glass of red and some fabulous nibbles - cost an arm and leg but was well worth it and was served by a lovely man in a yellow dress jacket. The next day I also visited the Santo Spirito Cenacola (the convent's mess hall, basically), which was charming.

I went to Arezzo yesterday, what a beautiful city. Large boulevards, totally well-signed, could not get lost if I tried. Unfortunately, or fortunately, it is not a tourist town. I arrived about 12.15 and went straight to see the famous Piero Della Francesca Frescoes. I got in straight away, but after that pretty much everything was closed until 3pm. So I had lunch at a place recommended by Lonely Planet, boy did they get it right. I had a glass of local red (so, so!) and a plate of pasta with a light sauce and black truffles. It was superb and I told them so in my extremely poor italian. 

Lunch at Bacco ed Arianna Arezzo

After lunch I had a bit of a wander around. I chatted to a Scottish couple who are visiting her sister, who has lived in Castiglion Fiorentina for 18 years but this is the first time they've managed to visit her. Next I took the very long walk to see Santa Maria delle Grazie - a little Etruscan church about 10 mins out of town. It certainly was out of town, I almost had to cross the superstrada to reach it. Arezzo had a market on when I was there - pity I wasn't staying as it was huge, went for miles and miles and there was great variety and unbelievable quality of food. There was cheese, meats, cakes and sweets, you name it, and not just from the Tuscany region but as far away as Piemonte.

Last night I had a glass of wine and got a bit plate of nibbles at Caffe Ricchi, so didn't really need dinner but I bought some clementines from the market. I love these, wish we had them at home. They are semi sweet - really tiny, like a mandarin but no pips and very little pith.

Today I headed up to Fiesole - another bumpy crowded bus ride but what a view on the way. I thought about the poor servants way back when who had to carry luggage from hot possibly infested Florence way up into the hills of Fiesole so the rich and famous could relax during the summer months. Had quite a good walk around - it is a super hilly place. I walked up to the hotel with the terrace and view, only about a 3min walk but the walk is pretty much perpendicular - you lean forward to get up and lean back to get down, but the views were spectacular. Earlier, I had lunch in Piazza Mina, which was quite good - it was called crostoni, but was more like bruschetta - it had tomato, capers, anchovies and olives, was quite salty but really, really tasty.

Letter from Firenze

Thursday 16 October 2008
The days are all blending together - where am I again? I didn't get in contact with Wendy. I rang about four times and left messages - the first time it obviously got passed on to the wrong person on the tour - so in the end I left it. I guess she would be very busy anyway.

Tuesday I went on my tour of Brunello country with Angela. What a fabulous day. 

Montalcino

There were only three of us on the tour with Angela, our guide. We went to two small wineries, the first owned and run entirely by women Prime Donne where we tried three different reds - the rosso di Montalcino was nice and their Brunello was a standout. Unfortunately, I didn't buy anything ‘cos it would be too hard to get home. Next, we visited another small winery, I think it was called like Piombaia, and there we had lunch. 

Lunch at Piombaia

Wow, what a lunch, it was the best food I have tasted in Italy so far. Platters of prosciutto, salame, bruschetta, a black cabbage leaf with ricotto and truffle mixture, tomato and mozzarella, onion pie and more. For desert we had semi-fresh and aged pecorino with chestnut honey, pear and quince jam, spectacular! Then, we had biscotti and meringue. We tried two wines with lunch. One is a quick-drink red - very young, called Black Cat (Gatto Nero) and the other a Brunello, which was absolutely wonderful. 

Piombaia wines

We then had caffe. What a fabulous time. From there we went to Sant'Antimo monastery just in time for the monks' chanting. This is a beautiful monastery - a working one too, they even have their own wine label. 

Sant'Antimo 

Next we had a visit to the town of Montalcino. The scenery along the way was wonderful, changing from each district. My photos definitely will not do it justice. Angela was a terrific guide - really friendly and knowledgeable. Coming home, she dropped me off just a five-minute walk from the apartment.

Wednesday - well, it kind of drifted though I was dead tired at the end of the day. I took the No.13 bus up to Piazzale Michelangelo - much easier than walking. I met some Americans halfway down and told them the bad news - they had a long climb ahead of them. I was really lucky I had already been up there and got my photos ‘cos Wednesday was dreadful, I think there were fires about, the smog was awful, so the views weren't much. I also visited Santa Maria Novella church and cloisters - very beautiful church. In the room where they sold postcards I bought one of that particular room and asked the man serving me if I was correct. He asked me if I liked the room and I said that it was beautiful. He walked over to these humungous cupboard doors and opened one for me. Inside were gold and silver busts, monstrances and other religious objects. He did it just me for me! Isn't that amazing?

I started off slowly today and got to the train station too late for a train to Pistoia. Instead I took the little electric bus to Santa Croce to do some banking. There is a Marino museum there – and a friend once bought me a framed print of “Horse and Rider”, so I wanted to visit the museum .So with Pistoia the backburner I went shopping - yes, I know, girls and boys you don't believe me. I took so long in one shop the girl told me it was okay as they were open until 7pm that night (it was only about 3 in the afternoon). The lingerie here is fantastic and some of the shoes are pretty speccy too but the prices - oh, oh and oh!

I went out to Da Ginone for dinner again last night with the best part being the dolce - chocolate and pear torta. I had pappardelle and wild boar sauce that didn't do much for me – I thought the taste pretty ordinary and it was a bit tough. For my primo, I had ruccola, grana (cheese) and pinenuts - that was pretty good. Week 2 is coming to an end and I still haven't visited the Duomo of Florence but have pretty much covered all else, although must see Uffizi again.

Oh, PS - went into the food markets today. Just too, too big for me, my brain went into meltdown. Meat, cheese, wine, oil, fruit, veg, everything everywhere. I was going to taste some balsamico,15 yrs old, then I saw that the miniature bottle cost 30 euro, that is $50, for a teeny weeny bottle.  

Sunday in Firenze

Sunday 12 October 2008

Today am taking it a little easy - late start and slow walking. I walked down via San Niccolo, up to the point where I got "lost" when returning from Piazzale Michelangelo and it doesn't look so scary in the daylight. Part of via San Niccolo is closed to traffic and foot traffic. It looks as though they are setting up for a street party for the football.

View from Piazzale Michelangelo

Walking on Lucca's walls

Yesterday I spent the day in Lucca - what a beautiful town. The train ride was good, in fact, the train was better than the one I arrived on from Rome. I walked around the ramparts, about 4km, I think – it was a long way and hot. Views were fantastic but I didn't take many photos the panoramic vistas were impossible to capture. 

Walking on Lucca's walls

I had a cornetto crema (custard croissant) at Pasticceria Taddeucci - very tasty. The town is wonderful to walk around and not too crowded. I stopped at a little place in via Filungo for lunch and a very nice English couple sat next to me. The wife chatted to me the whole time. They know someone in Perth - a dentist who lives in Peppy Grove - a bit above my station. Anyway, it was all very pleasant. Popped into the San Michele and San Frediano churches but didn't visit the main one - San Martino - just ran out of steam. I bought some fabulous chocolates from a little store - all dark chocolate - chilli chocolate, mint chocolate and choc covered coffee beans - of course they were a bit melted by the time I got back to Firenze. At the last minute I went back to Pasticceria Taddeucci to buy some biscotti - the famous brutti ma buoni (ugly but good) and believe me they are. But yes, you've guessed it, I headed in the wrong direction and exited through the wrong gate and it was miles from the train station - it was hot, hot and I felt as though I was getting sunstroke - after many "Scusi, dov'è la stazione" I finally arrived at the station. It was difficult to find the binario but got there eventually. I had about 15-minute wait and it was very hot on the platform. The train home was an old clanker but it got me there in good time. From Santa Maria Novella station I headed straight for my favourite little bar near home - Bar OiO - for my vodka tonic. I bought some grapes for tea but let me tell you they were horrible. The skin was tough as old boots.

I am hoping to catch up with a woman I met in Italian classes. She is on a European tour and she should arrive in Florence this afternoon, so I will ring her hotel to check. 

Day whatever in Firenze

Thursday 9 October 2008

I am getting quite adept at popping in to bars for my morning caffè. Mostly people are helpful and friendly. The Friends of the Uffizi membership has been a fantastic bonus - it has saved me heaps of money already.

Boboli Gardens

Was I complaining about it being cold? Yesterday and today are hot, hot, hot and humid. I just spent about 3 hours wandering around the Giardino Boboli and Bardini - magnificent and beautiful and although I can imagine that they must be stunning in summer and spring there are just a few dying roses now.

Mask at Boboli Gardens

Yesterday I took the bus to Siena, which reminded me in some ways of Aghios Nikolaos – that is, very, very hilly and hard to work out street signs. As I entered, I popped into the famous Nannini's for coffee. I had a cappuccino and ciambella (donut), and got told off because I didn’t know how to order, pay and then collect my coffee and donut – oh well. 

I visited the Duomo, museum, baptistery, crypt and the civil public museums - all were amazing, with wonderful artwork but I found taking photos was impossible, particularly of the Duomo as everything was so massive with too many beautiful things and I couldn’t capture it all. The floors of the Duomo were uncovered in parts which was amazing and fantastic. Crowds not too bad but it is hard walking around in the heat – would hate to be here in July or August. I found a gelataria and had a piccola coppa di limone - perfetto.

Floor Siena Duomo

Siena Duomo

Piazza del Campo Siena

 Last night I went to dinner at Da Ginone (Florence). I booked in Italian!! Food was very good last night. I had chicken breast in a cream sauce with porcini mushrooms and fried zucchini flowers (rather deep fried) as the contorni. I also had a glass of rosso di Montalcini wine. After dinner I went to the tiny Chiesa di Santa Monaca to hear some arias from various operas. The singer was quite good. She was a contralto, I think. The pianist was also very good.

I have traipsed around Florence but still haven't seen one third of it - don't know how people manage in one day. On Tuesday I went to the Accademia to see David - in for free and beat queue due to my wonder Friends of Uffizi card. The queues were very long but inside it wasn’t too crowded. Apart from the magnificent David I saw some absolutely wonderful sculptures and paintings.

Ponte Vecchio - view from Uffizi

The day I went to the Uffizi I saw 10 quillion Madonna and child mostly with the ugliest babies ever seen. One fantastic painting - don't know artist - of the annunciation. The look on Mary's face had to be seen to be believed as the angel told her she was pregnant - "In these shoes? I don't think so"!

The days are running into each other. Tuesday, I think, I had lunch at Mossace - a teeny weeny trattoria in the city – when I entered the place was filled with men and they all ordered without a menu - I got the menu. Lunch was reasonable but not fantastic and it was so very, very crowded.

Bulletin from Firenze

Monday 6 October 2008

Ponte Vecchio

Trains are a bit difficult with the three narrow steps up but I managed. Lucky I brought coffee with me as my apartment has a little coffee pot (Moka) and so I have been making espressos each morning. The apartment is quite nice and comfortable, very quiet except for when school is in. It is right next door to a primary school. It has been easy to get around, guess all my research and map reading has paid off. I haven't really been lost yet although sometimes I wonder how I got to where I ended up. Places are quite close but lots and lots and lots of walking and my entire body aches but especially my feet.

Yesterday I visited the Uffizi and the Bargello - both free courtesy of my Friends of Uffizi card. This card was well worth the 60 euro. I had lunch at Osteria Santo Spirito and sat next to a very nice Frenchwoman. Her father is from Firenze and she was visiting with her parents for a few days. It is now freezing cold so went back to the apartment. When I went out again about 4.30pm I had rugged up and also had my umbrella. I thought I had made a big mistake at first, as it was now quite warm. I walked to Piazzale Michelangelo - oh, my God! my heart was pounding by the time I reached the top. View was pretty good although cloudy. 

San Miniato al Monte

I went on to San Miniato and got there in time for the sung mass - so I stayed. It was quite beautiful. This is where the rugged up bit helped. I was sitting on the very cold marble stairs. By the time I left it was getting dark and I could not work out where the way down was so I went a different way and thought I was lost. There were hardly any people around and it was a bit scary but soon I found a landmark and headed on home.

Today I found the bus station where I would catch the bus to get me to Siena. I thought I would head on to the Accademia to see David but it started raining so headed home but once I had gone past the halfway mark, of course, the sun came out. Nevertheless, I kept going and went to the internet place, opposite the Pitti Palace. This little place was fabulous, good price, really nice people running it and was close to home. I don't know why but everyone seems to stop me for directions. One woman asked me directions when she was at the Information Centre - weird!

Florence 2008

This blog is put together from emails sent to friends and family during the month I was in Italy and I’m using it as a practice run to learn how to put together a blog. The dates and headings come from the emails sent.

Thursday 2 October: Florence-bound

At last, after many months of planning, the day has come and I’m off to Florence for a month. My flight for Dubai left at 10.30pm. I was very lucky as there was no-one next to me and I had three seats to stretch across for the 11-hour flight. Arriving at Dubai’s old airport was a bit of a shock, it was hot, dirty and crowded. Worst of all, there was no Rome flight. What? Eventually, I discovered that the destination was Nice, stopping in Rome first. Huge sigh of relief. The flights were good and so was the train. Everything happened so quickly and I was at the apartment by 3.30pm, much earlier than I expected.

Saturday 4 October: I’m here!
The taxi entered a very narrow street and there in front of me was a huge, heavy door with a buzzer and so I entered the wonderful Residenza il Carmine, and my excellent apartment Mirra. The building is mostly 17^th century and is next door to the house where Filippo Lippi was born.

Via D'Ardiglione

Garden at apartment

After settling in to the apartment, which is lovely, I went shopping to buy some food, wine etc and then crashed. Today, I’ve been out and about, I found a place to buy an Italian SIM card and now I have 2 mobiles!! I located the Uffizi and the Pitti Palace and then went to the agricultural market in Piazza del Carmine (around the corner from my apartment) where I bought some olive oil and some fantastic cheese, provolone piccante. All my research paid off and I can get by quite well without a map. I popped into Santo Spirito cathedral for a quick thank-you prayer.