Bellissima Città

Three days have been spent in this beautiful city, and it is chocked full of history, architecture, and stories. We spent the first day being shown around the city center by the theatre director. Every piazza is impressively packed with art and old. Here is Ponte Vecchio, the old center of government. For you history buffs, this is also the place where the Bonfire of the Vanities took place and where they eventually burned Savonarola.

Here is some of the unbelievable fresco work inside:

The rapid are hiding restoration scaffolding, but still show what is behind them.

 An equally beautiful, but less bloody piazza is Santa Maria Novella.

And of course, the crowning jewel of Firenze...the duomo of the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore and Giotto's bell tower:

In conjunction with the duomo is the baptistry of San Giovanni (St. John) whose doors of paradise are said to have inspired Michelangelo.

Since my first days here included a Sunday and a national government holiday, I haven't been able to go inside any of the cathedrals or nursing yet. That's what the rest of the week is for! But, I've taken the opportunity to explore some of the scrumptious food!

A mini blackberry pie with macchiato.

Lunchtime! A prosciutto, goat cheese, and arugula sandwich (on fresh bread!) with glass of wine.  4 Euro!

Chocolate croissant! (It had nutella inside!!!!!)

As I sit writing this, there is a beautiful thunderstorm happening. We have all discovered that even the thunderstorms are more artistic here. The thunder sounds like massive tympani drums. Still, I look forward to it passing because there is a massive, traditional fireworks show this evening. And I have been invited to watch it from the rooftop patio of the US Consulate! Unbelievable pictures are sure to come!

So now I leave you, but promise to give more stories soon!