Arrivederci Italia/Benvenuti a Indiana

Take the 5:52 a.m. Leonardo Express to Fiumicino. Jump through Italy's departure hoops. Arrive Newark. The U.S. hoops seem worse. "Welcome home," says the Customs Agent. Indeed, even though it wasn't Indianapolis and Greenwood, Newark felt like home. Continental Express wings us to Indianapolis, arriving only 30 minutes late. Meet Amy. Load up the car. One stop before home: Taco Bell. We've been craving TB for days. Then home, Emma kitsy, Lu and Eloise hammies. Breathe deeply, then on to the next adventure.

Ciao Firenze--a finale

Bittersweet. I'm anxious to get home. In six weeks I've fulfilled a dream to live in Italy--to see the sites, eat the food, meet people, and learn how to make books. Leaving is hard. The last days I revisited my favorite places: the Accademia with Michelangelo's "David" and "Slaves," the San Marco cloister with Beato Angelico's inspirational work and his "Annunciation," the San Ambrogio market full of beautiful and tasty local foodstuffs, Santa Croce with the tombs of Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Galileo. One last tour to experience all things uniquely Florentine. Ciao bella!

Via Carducci 18

Home away from home. In Florence we stayed in the 4th piano apartment on Via Carducci.  The kitchen was a short flight of stairs below the living area and bathroom. A little terrace was a short flight up. The apartment was just the right size for 2 people. The views were spectacular all day, but dawn and dusk were best.

Showing off

Santa Reparata, my host school for the book arts course, sponsored a student show and dinner for all students who participated in the third summer session. My first show! Each of us presented 2 works of our choosing, so I selected my gelato pieces--"No chocolate" and "Troppo gelato." Along with book arts, etchings, silk screen prints, paintings, photography, and Italian fashion design were exhibited. Jen and I also attended an opening in a local gallery with works by one of my classmates, Violina, a student from Bulgaria.




Some of my favorites in books arts included window books and other experimental book forms.

Brunelleschi and Santo Spirito

Perhaps best known for the design of the dome for Santa Maria del Fiore, Brunelleschi, like many of his time, was a true Renaissance man. He painted, sculpted, and designed buildings. Santo Spirito, across the Arno, is one of his understated works. He envisioned 38 chapels in the interior with long columned aisles leading to the transcept.

Santo Spirito hosts daily markets of varying varieties. The day we stopped in to see the church, we saw a flea market and farmer's stalls with fresh fruits, veggies, and flowers. The areas of Santo Spirito and San Frediano are known for their artisan workshops such as Francesco of Firenze--the only remaining workshop in Firenze where shoes are made to order on site.

Palazzo Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria

Palazzo Vecchio was the heart of the Medici empire--first as a palace, then as the seat of government (Palazzo Vecchio means "old palace"). Today Florence government still flourishes inside this building with its familiar tower. Telephones and computers sit on centuries old tables. The quarters of Eleanora of Toledo, including the beautifully frescoed chapel remain unchanged. Unfortunately, the tower was closed for renovation, but we enjoyed all the frescoes, paintings, and furnishings. Michelangelo's "David" stood in front of the Palazzo before it was relocated to the Accademia--a reproduction stands there today.

The Palazzo sits on the Piazza della Signoria, a piazza surrounded by al fresco dining, tour groups, statuary, and souvenir stands.

Train trips II--Monterosso

Our plans called for an afternoon at the beach, so we continued by train from Pisa to Monterosso, Liguria--part of Cinque Terre. Cliff-hanging homes, towers, the Mediterrean, a beach, quaint shops and eateries.















This was a chance to slow down and enjoy life at its best. Jen packed a picnic lunch for us to eat by the sea.
We beachcombed for sea glass and pretty pebbles--the sand wasn't the fine grade found on Florida's beaches, but filled with coarse grains, a sign of the granite and marble cliffs surrounding the area.