Memories Under The Tuscan Sun

The best thing about this experience; living in Italy, has been sharing it with others. Mom and Dad arrived early Friday morning and they were thrown into the lives we have been living these past 2 months. Upon their arrival, they had a quick and extensive tour of Milan and they attended a “Super Dinner” hosted by the Milan Rhinos team. It was a whirl wind adventure, but nonetheless it has been an adventure.

Mom’s birthday and day one’s itinerary was heading to Tuscany! We started our backpacking journey by walking from our apartment to Central Station at 5:30am. We hopped on the 6 am train to Florence and our backpacking began. Before I continue, here is the disclaimer; we backpacked: meaning, we wore the same jeans, no makeup, and we look pretty rough in these pictures. Since Brock and I had already been to Florence we brought Mom and Dad to all the highlights, took some pictures, and we were on our way to our next stop; Siena.

After our train ride from Florence to Siena, we did some more walking. The men with the maps and the women trailing far behind; we could have sworn we were lost, but the men assured us: “We know where we are going!” They directed us uphill, downhill, around corners, through alleyways, across construction, all on our search for the quaint town of Siena’s central square (Piazza Del Campo) and every once in a while we all looked back to make sure Mom was still with us. If you haven’t realized by now, my husband has a sweet tooth. So after a quick stop for a chocolate pastry, we were ready to do some more walking! Mom and I figured, we already walked 10 miles in one day, so this little treat could do no harm.

Siena was a new adventure to all of us and it was a perfect representation of Tuscany; rolling green hills, cute villas, and acres upon acres of vineyards and olive groves. Our original plan was to stay one night in Siena, but because of its friendly beauty we arranged for just one extra night and day. Our first night there was Mom’s birthday (her 26th … times 2) and we enjoyed a true Tuscany meal. The next day we toured the towns of Chianti and San Gimignano with two stops at local wineries for schooling and wine tasting. The experience was great but was made even better by the group we toured with. Our tour guide Francesco loved his job, loved wine, and loved to laugh “more or less”. He entertained his tour bus of 8 and he truly showed us the warm hospitality Tuscany had to offer. The tour was made even better by the people who were with us. We were joined by a brother (a brand new doctor) and sister (the fashion student from Milan) from Tel Aviv, Israel, a young married couple, both doctors (third generation Londoners from India), and us, Brock (Hershey, PA), my dad the engineer, my mom the 100% Italian/ New Yorker, and me, the teacher from Florida. After a few stops at the wineries and some shared jokes, we became instant friends, and even discussed possible solutions for the problems of the world. After all, if all of us got along as diverse as we all were, why can’t the rest of the world.

“All aboard, next stop, Pisa.” We were excited to go to Pisa to see the Leaning Tower with my Dad, the engineer. It was supposed to be a quick stop: see the tower, take a few pictures, grab a pizza in Pisa (my husband’s idea), and leave. It didn’t go as planned. We didn’t make it off the train and into the town without being escorted to the Polizia Station…we were in big trouble. Basically, to make a long story short, we did what we were told to do, according to the train’s Ticket Office, but the Train Guard did not agree and he wanted to charge us an outrageous fine. We tried to communicate the misunderstanding but stating it simply he was a jerk. He took our tickets and waited for us at the next stop and brought us to the Police. It got very heated and tense and they were going to confiscate our Passports. The communication was very difficult due to the language barrier but we tried our hardest to speak Italian and listen. And with my little Italian...I knew we were in big trouble! Especially when one of the Police officer yelled..."BASTA Signora! Pagar (pay) or... something else I did not quite understand. But it was to the extent of “ STOP LADY! PAY OR WE TAKE YOUR PASSPORT!” At this point, when it started off with 1 Police Officer and the Train Guard, the room was now filled with 3 Police Officers and 1 standing guard at the door. At this point, when we realized it was getting out of hand and they just wanted the money, Mom became the negotiator and we paid (half of the original fine, way to go Mom!) As we left, I cried from being so overwhelmed, Dad was MAD, Brock was beyond MAD and now upset that I was crying, and Mom just laughed in relief, “It’s just a part of the adventure!”

Pisa our quick stop took a little longer than planned. Once we got back on the train and headed back to Milan, we laughed. “We did so good getting along and molding to this new culture, surviving, and taking care of each other, but it’s not until your parents come (your safety net) we almost get thrown into jail!” Brock just couldn’t believe all of this had happened! All in all, we walked from beginning to end; out our apartment door and back in, 40 plus miles! And Mom was still behind us as we ended our journey. Our adventures have just begun and Under the Tuscan Sun we left a lifetime of memories.


Mom and Dad's first day in Milan. Dad twirled on the Bull's "balls" and Mom enjoyed mussels (just one of the many dishes) at our "Super Dinner."


Florence


On our way to the Hotel.


Hotel Athena. Check out our view from the window. Breath taking!







All around Siena


First Winery in Chianti


Touring San Gimignano


Second Winery


Last stop in Pisa.

Spaghetti Sundays

Sundays are my favorite day here in Italy. Mostly, for what Sundays represent; God, family, & good food. Everything shuts down here in Milan & the hustle & bustle of the crowded Metro & busy streets all come to a halt. Sirens stop, cars are parked, & even the pigeons coo a little less. There is a calming silence on Sundays that I love so much.

Families come together & our apartment complex becomes filled with new faces as families reunite for the traditional Sunday dinner. This makes me think of my own family. My mother; who is 100% Italian, was raised in a home where Sunday spaghetti dinners were something that was cherished as a true tradition. Aunts & Uncles, with their children too, extended family members & friends all joined together for this weekly routine that wouldn't dare be missed. Even as a little girl, I grew up eating authentic Italian spaghetti sauce cooked and "doctored" by my Mom all day. She would sit and tell us about her Grandma and Grandpa (my Nani and Papi)who had taught her how to prepare their Italian dishes... mmmm "Buonissimo." This wasn't something I truly appreciated until I lived here in Milan.

For this, Brock & I have now decided to institute Spaghetti Sunday in our own future home. Doors will be open and everyone is welcome to join together in faith, family, friends, and of course...good food! It is the least we can do to carry on the Italian traditions of my family; something my Mom misses so much, and to honor the Italian hospitality we've experienced here in Milan.

“Good Appetite Everybody” – Grandpa Tony

Milan Rhinos vs. Parma Panthers

On a rainy night in Milan the Rhinos faced the Panthers from Parma (The team made famous from the book Playing For Pizza ). It was a hard fought battle between the teams and unfortunately the rhinos did not come out on top, which is why I (Brock) am writing this blog post because Lauren made it clear that she does not want to talk about the game anymore and “She does not do well with loosing.” Let’s face it, no one does. I am not going to go on and on about this game for obvious reasons but I will say this; our offense is improving every week. Parma is one of the stronger teams in the league every year, and our offense really held their own against a tough Parma defense. We were the first team to score which began the ongoing battle all game. Not one score went unanswered until Parma scored with only a few minutes left. We received the ball back and were not able to convert on a 4th and 8 on about the 40 yard line which ultimately ended the game. We have a long break until our next match against Rome. This will enable us to get back on track, get to the drawing board, and put our team back on track for the rest of the season.


Sorry for the short blog post but like I said earlier, no one likes losing. BUT… you go home after the game, get some sleep, wake up the next day and keep on pluggin away. When it is all said and done it is just a game but between you and me …. and Lauren because she will make it known how she feels ;)… it feels A LOT better when you win.

Anniversary Abroad: Venice

Have you ever had an over- the- top, never gonna happen, once in a life time, if you win the lottery, or became super lucky, kind of dream? A dream that you almost laugh at, never speak a word of because it might just be that crazy; a dream that no way, no how, could you ever see this happening, kind of dream? Venice was that. Venice was that dream; tucked in tight, deep behind our hearts, hoping, praying, once in a life time, the dream of all dreams, and if only we could spend a day, maybe even have just a little glimpse, kind of dream... that came true.

No words can describe our experience other than; speechless and unforgettable. Several times throughout our Anniversary weekend Brock and I would look at each other and just be in awe at how blessed we truly are. This weekend not only symbolized a celebration of our first year of marriage but it symbolized a fresh start to new beginnings and new possibilities, and of course, adventures. After all, who would have ever thought that when we said “I do” a year ago, we would be living in Italy, and spending our anniversary in all places, romantic Venice?

When we stepped off our train, it was like stepping into a movie, or even better, a post card. It was surreal. Time stood still and allowed us to just breathe in the fresh air of the water. We were greeted by the Canal Grande and the water was filled with boats and eager Gondola “captains.” Once we checked into; “the nicest hotel I’ve ever stayed at in my 22 years of living and 1 year of being married,” we took out the map and started walking the main island. Cobble stone streets led into Piazzas and alley ways where you found cute little homes all surrounded by water. The streets seemed so much bigger on the map because once you were actually walking them and making the turns down the streets and around the corners, it was a split second before you hit another bridge with water, and you crossed over into another part of town.

Our first day was spent exploring and being taken back by the most marvelous views. With our trusty map and Brock’s directional skills, we referred to our travel books, discussed our plans, and drew out our route to hit all of the main attractions. We walked to San Marco; the heart of the historic district, where the famous St. Mark’s Basilica is. We explored the Castel that is surrounded by water. We saw the famous bridge, Ponte di Rialot, which is noted for its engineering and its outstanding views. We went to San Polo where the main market is and we made our way to Dorsoduro where we saw the University and the Gallerie dell’ Accademia. There were so many more sights and attraction we came across, these are just some of the highlights. Even with our strategic game plan for the day, the atmosphere in Venice didn’t allow you to circum to a stressed, agenda driven mood. Venice only allowed you to be in love, relaxed, and laid back. We enjoyed a quite dinner and of course, Gelato, before we called it a night. We both tucked ourselves in giddy in disbelief that we were actually walking the streets of Venice. We were anxious to get started on our next day.

Our plan for our “Anniversary Day” was to take a boat to the island of Murano (where the blown glass is made). We made our way over to the Water Taxi Ticket Office where we tried to figure out how to buy a ticket to get on the boat to the island. It was going to be a little bit of money but Brock and I decided that this was a must see and it would be well worth the money. As Brock was standing in line to make the purchase, I was approached by a man who asked me, “Do you speak English?” I must say this was the first time I had ever really been asked this question where the person was hoping I did. “Si!” I replied like a ding dong! “I mean, Yes!” The gentleman explained how he and his wife were getting ready to leave and they had these tickets for the Water Taxi that were valid until later that night. It was perfect! Exactly what we needed and were looking for. These were actually an upgrade, better than what we were going to buy and way more expensive. He handed them to me. “It’s our anniversary today and you really blessed us.” I told him. I turned to tell Brock before he bought the tickets and to show him the man, but he was gone, nowhere to be found. Brock said he was our angel. In the littlest way that morning, God reminded us He is still providing. Brock and I got on the boat and made our way to Murano.

We watched a demonstration at the factory on how the glass was blown and made. It was an amazing art and it gives you an appreciation for all the pieces of Murano Glass that the galleries were selling. For our 1 year anniversary gift, Brock bought me a white, Murano Glass Love Knot sculpture with 24 karat gold blown into it when we were on the island. It was breath taking, beautiful, and such a special symbol of our day. I will cherish it forever. And one day, when it is displayed in our very own home, we will remember our trip to Venice.

To top off our anniversary day, we got dressed up and enjoyed a full 4 course dinner. At dinner we sat next to a couple who was very elderly. As the night progressed we realized they were speaking English and as we listened we heard them tell their story. They were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and this was the honeymoon they had saved up for. A knot grew in our throats, Brock and I both got really chocked up hearing this. “Wow, 50 years of marriage and they are here. 1 year of marriage, we are 22 years old, and we are in Venice. God is so good.” We just smiled at each other, with nothing more to say.

Our day couldn’t have been better. We spent the day, in love, with our best friend, in Venice. Just like we had a year ago, after our wedding night, Brock and I made our way to the bath tub. I know you may be thinking….”WHOA, HOLD YOUR HORSES… THIS IS TOO MUCH INFORMATION!” But hang tight! For those of you who know the story of our “first night”, you will appreciate the “year later.” For those of you who don’t know: our night after our wedding, in a nut shell; Brock and I attempted to take a bath together to ease my nerves. He slipped while getting into the tub and water came pouring out over the sides… just like in the movies. It was a huge disaster, but it broke the tension and made for a funny story. A year later, Brock and I make our way to the bath tub, and my husband gets this look of sheer pain across his face. As he was taking off his jeans he stepped on a safety pin that was holding together a rip at the bottom of his pants and it had opened, and went right through his foot...all the way in! We had to pull it out! Blood was everywhere; we stopped the bleeding and cleaned him up. We listened as the water was still running in the tub…and we just laughed! God has a sense of humor. How appropriate, a year later and another little mishap before a romantic bath.

Our last day was a sad one. We didn’t want to leave. It was the perfect little get- a- way for an anniversary. Our 1 year felt like such an accomplishment. Ups and downs, good times and bad, moments of planning and goal setting, and moments of complete uncertainty, all were appreciated and celebrated as we looked back during our big adventure in Italy. Venice will always have a special place in our hearts. We made a pact to look forward to our next year of big adventures and big dreams. Who knows what God will do with anniversary number 2.


Our hotel room at Boscolo Bellini. They were so nice there and even surprised Brock and I with Champaign on our anniversary. When we left they held our bag for us; which was Brock's big orange travelling football bag that said Milano Rhinos, they could not believe they had a "Celebrity staying there and did not know!" We were cracking up. While we checked out they looked him up online and everything!



Here is the view when we look outside our hotel.



Sights around Venice.











San Marco Piazza and Basilica


On our way to Murano with the Water Taxi tickets the nice gentelman gave us.


On Murano and the views around it.


Glass Blowing demonstration at the factory and galleria on Murano.


Exploring the beautiful island of Murano.



Anniversary night and dinner. My meal came out and I knew I ordered some type of fish dinner, pasta thing, but I had no idea it would come out black! Apparently it is an oil that this type of fish produces that turns it that color. It tasted great and Brock loved it too! At one point he looked and me and started chuckling...the black pasta turned my mouth and teeth black!





We took over 760 pictures! I still feel like they didn't do our trip and the sights justice.

Messages From Milan: Ryan, Christine & Lugano Switzerland

This week was much needed. My brother and his lovely girlfriend arrived bright and early Sunday morning and I was ecstatic to retrieve them from the Centrale Station. I couldn’t wait to hug the neck of familiar faces. Finally, someone familiar; family, was here to take part in this big adventure with me.

Spending time with them in the Big City has been wonderful. Taking them around this foreign place that Brock and I have made our “home” was rewarding in a sense. We took them to our favorite Pizzeria and enjoyed an Apertivo for dinner. We saw all the attractions Milan has to offer and we truly spent our days enjoying each other’s company.

But so far, the highlight of their visit has been exploring someplace new. Today’s “mini adventure” was in Lugano, Switzerland, a lake town we ventured to by train. Beautiful in the Spring and Summer, with lush greenery and flowers, it is a must- see to enjoy. We on the other hand, experienced the non- tourist side of it, snow, snow, and more snow. From the moment we arrived to the moment we left, we watched blankets of snow cover the mountains surrounding the lake. Even with the snow, which we found appropriate being in Switzerland; Lugano was beautiful. Being from Florida, we laughed when we saw the Palm Trees covered in snow, a sight we Floridians would never expect to see in our life time! We watched swans swim and boats take off, we walked through Piazzas, and did a little shopping. The architecture was beautiful and the town was charming with its cobble stone roads and rod iron gates. We entered historical churches and got “lost” through alley ways filled with delightful little neighborhoods and schools.

Of course, our trip to Switzerland would not be complete without purchasing some Swiss chocolate and Swiss cheese. We’ve only dented our stash “slightly” on the train ride back to Milan, but from the tastes of it… I am a fan of Swiss chocolate! And I’m not sure if Brock would be okay with me saying this, but the Hershey native was not disappointed either. I would even venture to say, he preferred it…but shhh, you didn’t hear that from me!

Milano Rhinos VS Carinthian Black Lions

Why did we come here again? Oh yeah… football!

Last night was the Rhinos' very first game...and the very first time I have seen my husband play football in over 2 years. We triumphed over the Austrian team 26 - 20 in overtime. I don't know all of the important stats that football fans would like to know from the game (we will have Brock write a blog about the game with that important info or check out the team's site www.rhinos.it) but I do know Brock did very well. He ran the ball a lot, and with his size, he was unstoppable. In one play, "The QB sneak" he ran the ball over 60 yds. I watched the other Italians and the fans in the stands and thought; "They have no idea what my husband can do." Now since I am the wife... I will give you all the important details that go along with this game; obviously from the woman's perspective.

Before the game, I mustered up all of the "wifely" support and encouragement I could and I told Brock: "Well, tonight, we see if you still got it!" We looked at each other and both laughed. I have to admit, as I’m sure Brock was too, but I was really, I mean really, really, nervous! But this was the reason we were here in Italy; football; Brock's dream, his passion, his love. All of this didn't come full circle until I watched my husband run onto the field in his orange and black uniform. He looked good!

Our whole relationship started with football and well, it sort of ran our lives. Decisions were made based off of football. Sacrifices were made based off of football. Good times, bad times, and the times in between, all were based off of football. When I made the commitment to my husband in college to love and support him and maybe one day be his wife... I made a commitment to love football too and most importantly support his dream…..even if that meant moving to Italy.

Over the years I have learned to read my husband (once boyfriend and fiancé) on the field. Just by his body language I could tell if his teammates were where they needed to be and if a play went the way it should have. I gained a confidence in my husband too. Whenever we would be down, all I thought was "Get him in, get him in! He can make us win!" I knew Brock had what it took to turn the game around.

Last night I had all those feelings rush back. I watched as the players warmed up and I watched my husband carry on this attitude we have had this whole adventure… “Go with the flow.” (Now remember, everything about last night's game was in Italian!) Last night I realized again that Brock was a part of a team that half of the time he didn't understand what was being said. He stood there during the Italian National Anthem and I watched as he sort of figured out how they stood, what they did, and how it all got started. But as soon as they put in the offense...it didn't matter the language, Brock Smith was on the field and we weren't loosing. I just had that faith in him and in this team. I joke a lot with this win or lose thing. I don't like loosing...at all. I'm not a good loser either, neither is my husband. I knew he was going to fight for this game. After all that’s why we are here.

Florence

As I start this blog, I am truly at a loss for words. Unusual for Lauren, I know; but trying to put our Florence experience into words is practically impossible. Florence was definitely, positively, undoubtedly, the most beautiful place I have ever seen. When we knew we were coming to “Italy”, Florence was what I pictured in my head. For many of you, imagining “Italy,” like postcards, movies, and pictures; you are dreaming of Florence. Every expectation Brock and I had for our Italy adventure when we took this opportunity came to life the moment we sat on our train to Florence. And at that moment, purchasing a ticket, finding our quaint hotel, wandering the market filled streets of Florence, exploring the most amazing pieces of art in famous museums, and eating at EVERY Gelato place Florence had to offer; we became world travelers and we had accomplished so much.

Let’s start at the beginning. I apologize ahead of time because my heart is bursting with emotions and my fingers are typing with great excitement … this may be a long blog, but I warned you!

It was easy getting started on this great adventure to Florenc, all we had to do was buy our ticket at the Centrale Station just a Metro stop away from our house. So we thought. Browsing through the options on the Self Service ticket machines of all the places you could travel on the train, we just couldn’t seem to find “F L O R E N C E.” We kept on searching… “F. L. O. R. E. N. C. E.” But nothing would come up. Finally we decided we needed help and it was Brock’s turn to initiate conversation with the locals, so he ask a kind, young woman who looked like she just might speak a little English.
“Parle Inglese?” (Do you speak English?)
“Si” she replied. (Yes.)
“Come si dice Florence? We can’t find it.” (How do you say Florence?)
“Firenze.”
“Oh, ok. Firenze? Can you spell it?”
After her help, spelling and all, we figured out why we just couldn’t find Florence when we looked for F.L.O.R.E.N.C.E. It was F.I.R.E.N.Z.E. we were looking for; the Italian spelling not English! And we found it! We bought our tickets and we were good to go! So we thought. We found our train at its bin and we boarded. We realized we didn’t have a seat number on our ticket so we sat down at the first available seats we found. We remembered we selected “Available Seat” so maybe that meant we just sit where we see a seat available. Logical thinking, quick and easy we thought. But as people were boarding the train we were realizing we were someone’s seat. We would move, and again, we were in someone else’s seat. This went on for 10 or so moves. I had anxiety and I was sweating at this point. “Please let us just depart!” I was tired of feeling like the “stupid Americans” who didn’t know what was going on. And by our 5th move, everyone was watching us. We finally found empty, unreserved seats, but the anticipation of having reserved ticket holders approaching us again and us moving to yet another seat, just about gave me a stomach ache! But we made it; right next to each other, in seats all to ourselves. “Note to self: We are selecting seats on the way back to Milan! I don’t think I can handle this again!”

An hour and 45 minutes and we arrived. It was breathtaking. The town seemed so different than Milan, so quaint and charming. The people seemed… not like city people, but like small town, country people; warm and friendly. The very first impression the Florentine people greeted us with, was two little boys; pants down around their knees, peeing in the grass. They just minded their own business as if no one was watching and they relieved themselves as if this was a normal occurrence. We laughed and thought, “Well, Welcome to Florence!” We passed the peeing peewees and walked down a cobbled stone road to find our hotel; “Katti House”. Katti House is run by three generations of Mothers and Daughters. The office where we checked into our room was actually the home of AnnaMaria (the mother) and Katti (the daughter). She walked us to our room and when I opened the door and saw the cozy Florentine home, I wanted to stay and never go back to Milan. Our room had exposed beams, intricate tile work throughout the bathroom, and a balcony opening to a small garden. I was giddy, I was in love, this was exactly what I had been picturing but hadn’t seen or felt since we’ve been in the city of Milan.

We started walking the town right away! We didn’t want to waste any time. You couldn’t help but notice the atmosphere. Maybe it was the Tuscany region but the air felt different. The streets were alive with markets… leather markets. Florence is known for its leather and its Museums… but mostly it’s shopping and leather. Your eyes couldn’t miss the beautiful architecture everywhere you looked either. This quaint town had so much to offer and it was all within walking distance. In our 3 days there we must have walked for over 30 hours…no exaggeration!

We went to the Piazza Duomo (Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore) first and it was magnificent. In front of the Duomo was a Baptistery where people had to get baptized before they could enter the Church. The doors of the Duomo had Biblical stories engraved in bronze. The historical and religious background to this was that the poorer people who could not read were able to look at these artistic engravings to learn about the teachings of the Bible.

Our next stop was the Piazza della Signoria where the most eye- catching statues tower. There is a copy of David (the original is at the Academia Gallery where we toured our second day), Hercules and Cacus, the Fountain of Neptune, Perseus with the Head of Medusa, and so many others. The Piazza della Signoria was the location of the Florentine Republic and it still acts as the main central point of the city.

The Ponte Vecchio and the Arno River are main attractions that must be seen when travelling to Florence. At the Ponte Vecchio you witness the only bridge that wasn’t completely destoryed and blown up in WWII when Hitler attacked the city of Florence. This bridge was also used as a passage way for Royalty staying at the Castel on the other side of the Arno River to pass through and go to the main Piazza and the Uffizi without having to be disturbed by the peasants.

The Piazzas were filled with Artists painting and selling one of a kind, unique, hand painted, Florentine ceramics. There were musicians playing their guitars, violins, and accordions, singing and enjoying the crowds. We ended our first night under the stairs sitting outside the enormous Uffizi at the Piazza della Signoria, bundled up, listening to a musician playing his guitar and singing, it was almost surreal. I didn’t want the night to end. It was so romantic.

We spent our whole second day culturing ourselves in the museums. Our first reservation was at the Uffizi Gallery. The Museum took about 3 hours to walk through and look at the paintings, some dating back as early as the 14th and 15th centuries. The Museum houses a collection of work from the birth of the Renaissance all the way to new Humanism to Medieval art work. Many of the paintings focus on Christian viewpoints showing the Crucifixion of Jesus and the “Madonna and Child”. There were also many Biblical stories depicted in the paintings and it was fun to test our Sunday school knowledge and guess what Biblical story we were looking at. There was so much we saw that there is no way to cover it all in a paragraph in a blog, but I hope you get picture and if you get the chance to go to Florence, this Museum is a museum worth touring. Or next reservation was at the Academia. The highlight of this gallery was without a doubt, Michelangelo’s original David. David is created with white Carrar Marble and towers high at 17ft. Seeing the David that conquered over Goliath was a “bucket list” cross off. It was amazing to think that all of the David’s we had seen all over Florence were just mere copies, but this was the original, the actual piece of Marble that Michelangelo claimed had spoke to him and he created.

Travelling with my husband it almost becomes a part of the itinerary to treat yourself to Gelato. In between shopping at the market; we got a Gelato, after touring the Museums; we got a Gelato, before lunch, after lunch, before dinner, after dinner, on our way to the top of the town, on our way down… WE GOT A GELATO! We ate at 6 different Gelato places in our 3 days in Florence. I had Gelato coming out of my ears!

We ate at some of the most wonderful Bistros and Restaurants. We learned quickly though to ask if there was a Coperto. A Coperto is a cover charge added to either each person eating or it can be added to the price of your food. Because there is no tipping in Italy a Coperto isn’t always a big deal, however, you do find places that claim they don’t have a Coperto but they have a sitting fee where a 2.50 euro sandwich becomes a 6.00 euro sandwich with no warning! Even at Brocky’s Gelato places if you’re not careful a 3.00 euro Gelato can turn to a 5.00 euro sitting fee. And at the rate Brock was having his chocolaty fixes we were walking and eating our Gelatos.

Our last day was a sad one. I didn’t want to leave. I begged and begged Brock, “Please Brocky, please let’s just stay here and not go back to the city. We can ask Katti if we can stay in our room and make the beds at the hotel for our fee.” But I knew my request would go unfulfilled. There was something about Florence; maybe it was the air, the Tuscany romance in the air; maybe it was the art, the architecture, the sculptures and statues, the paintings? Maybe it was all that gelato… no, probably not that. But something… something about Florence filled my heart with love. For the first time in our month of being abroad in Italy, I truly felt like I was in the Italy I had pictured and dreamt about. Or last day we hiked all the way up to the top of the city, The Piazza Michelangelo, where there is an incredible view of Florence. From the Ponte Vecchio it takes about 30 minutes to get to the top, and well…it’s all up hill. After huffing and puffing, wheezing a little bit, taking a break for water, and having burning calves, we were there. This view was beyond breathtaking. From the left you saw rolling green hills with cute Tuscany villas. Your eyes follow the skyline to see The Ponte Vecchio and the Arno River, The Castel, The Duomo, historical Cathedrals like the St. Maria Novella, the Uffizi and the Academia, The Piazza Signoria and so much more. The view of the sky line of Florence was a summary of our whole trip. I didn’t want to start making my way down, I wanted to stay up there and take in that view forever. Florence was one of those trips that I pray that when I close my eyes I won’t ever forget what I saw or the way it made me feel.



Our quaint Tuscany hotel room at the Katti House.


Brock and I in front of the Duomo. Brock in the Piazza Signoria.


The Doors of the Duomo engraved in bronze the stories of the Bible.


The Statues in the Piazza Signoria. Notice my husband being funny :]


The Arno River and the Ponte Vecchio


Our first night in Florence. We had dinner at a cute little Bistro sitting outside of the Duomo. It was the perfect little place, dinner by candle light and no coperto!We watched an artist draw with chalk the most beautiful painting on the side walk. Then we stumbled across a musician performing outside the Uffizi's in the Piazza Signoria. Brock and I ended the night overlooking the Arno River.


Brock and the Kreamers looking at our maps...trying to figure out where we were going! Brock snuck a picture of the David. I was very upset with him but very happy we have a picture. Also a picture of the Castel and another beautiful view in Florence.


Making our way up to the most amazing view in the world. Just some pictures we took as we made our hike.


Views from the top. It was amazing.


Making our way down.