Once upon a time in the land of the Arno…..
Is anyone else consumed with the idea of making apple pies?
We all know the most common context of the phrase “Many Happy Returns of the Day”. No, it wasn’t my birthday, but, happy returns of the day seems a fitting sentiment – the feeling I had when I arrived back in Florence. Some people find travel to be tedious, tiring and aggravating. Well, depending on where you are going, I guess I can see this. Boarding Trenitalia is not like that, at least not for me.
Four days in Florence! What to do first? I found myself constantly torn – do I turn left or right when I walk out the door of the hotel? Or, straight across the glorious Piazza della Repubblica and through the arch?
I began this post on Wednesday. By yesterday, I was seeing photos of the city of Florence deluged by a freak hail storm, followed by notifications that some venues had actually been closed due to damage. Holy Cow! What a difference a week makes. I was sad to hear of this crazy weather episode and sort of glad I missed it. But, still, I wish I was back there!
Holy Cow! Shorts and SNOW(HAIL) Friday, September 19, 2014 (photo courtesy of The Florentine)
Last time I left Florence to return to the US I was sad and reluctant to go. Most people go away on vacation and think of their destinations as a place to visit and, when the time is over, are happy, and ready to return “home”. They have a sense of ok, I’ve gotten this out of my system now, I’m going back to my real life. I can think of a few people I know who I don’t think, like me, feel that way. It includes those people who write about Italy constantly, make recipes that remind them of Italy and are in the constant phase of planning for their next trip – unless of course you are Katie and you’ve made Rome as your home! Italy has driven its way into their hearts and they are completely at home there – Like Katie Parla, Michele Scicolone and Nancy Harmon Jenkins, to mention a few. Katie, lucky for her, has the option to stay. Michele and Nancy travel back and forth and write all about it constantly.
We arrived and settled in as I squeezed out any inkling of the reality that I was going to have to leave here in 4 days. Florence is a city where you can settle in easily, and I do. I was amazed and, honestly disappointed, when I saw how crowded it was. I had hoped, as I had in Venice, that the Summertime crowds would have disbursed – but I was wrong. It was just as crowded as it was in July. I had hoped to enjoy a little more low key Florence but it was bustling as ever and the efforts required to get around and get into places were still at their pinnacle. Never mind, all the more people-watching to be done.
I am constantly amazed at the transportability of humans. People want to travel and see (not to mention shop). There are people who will travel halfway and more around the world to go shopping. This I find a curious side of human nature – not that I am any stranger to a fun shopping trip. But, I would not travel, a distance, say, all the way to China, to go shopping.
Anyway, I felt right at home being back in Piazza della Repubblica and the adjacent Piazza Duomo. I get a charge out of returning to these places now and feeling like I know them, if only just a little bit. One can never “know” a city intimately, can one? Not unless you have inhabited the place for decades upon decades and transversed over it, inch by inch, understood its history and then observed all the changes to it during your lifetime. I often wonder if anyone could intimately know New York, say. I’m not talking about the 5 boroughs. I’m just thinking about Manhattan. Geez, you can’t even keep up with what restaurants are opening and closing or the new and lost vendors, say at the Union Square Farmer’s Market. You get the point.
But, Florence is one city that I would like to know “intimately”.
George got first-hand exposure to comparing two of the great Duomos of all time now. I was anxious to see his response to Florence, since I am the one who drones on incessantly about opening up my own Biscotti shop there. I envision myself, broom in hand, in the early morning, sweeping my stoop while the Biscotti are baking and cooling, baking and cooling……. Perhaps I’d be in a comfortable black dress, stylish, of course, apron over and shuttling back and forth between the kitchen and the counter. In Florence, as in all these great venues, there are scores of little shops which cater to the whims of daily visitors – an espresso, a little bite to eat – a small bag of confetti, the ubiquitous sugar-glazed almonds that are still so popular here.
Before I go into the all out blast of photos that try to capture my love affair with Florence, here are the few choice ones that hopefully make you understand right off why this is a place to go and put your roots down:
I promised to take these cuties back home with me on the plane, but they didn’t want to leave . (????) I told them I had three nice paddocks for them. They said they prefer Florence. Can’t blame them:
Sitting outside of our hotel and watching the passers-by, I couldn’t help wistfully thinking about all the lucky students, many from the States, who get to come here and stay for an entire Semester. Don’t they have “study abroad” for people like me? If they do, someone please tell me so I can sign up.
Would it be an absolute sacrilege to say that I had just as much fun going to two food markets as I did, say, going to the Uffizi and seeing Venus, seeing David at the Accademia, and going to the beautiful Palazzo Medici Ricciardi? Well, I’d have to say this is true.
However, I’d never pass up an opportunity to see this jaw-dropping beauty. You can’t take your eyes off him.
At Palazzo Medici Ricciardi:
This may be complete heresy, but I have to say that I enjoy outdoor venues more than indoor: I am more moved by the light, fantastic color and design elements employed here. The scale of everything here is staggering – as it is in all of my favorite haunts in Europe.
My three favorite panels in Florence – their color, light and vibrance are extraordinary, even though they are shown in a relatively dark space. Stunning:
having trouble fitting these into my carry-on:
We particularly enjoyed an exhibit by the artist Mario Minarini, whose current works are on display here – just beautiful. I would have particularly loved to have had this one:
Treasures, large and small: an intimate study of sfogiatelle, local honey and local apricot jam 🙂 . I think I could live on these three little items and some excellent strong coffee or tea:
And, lest you need any further encouragement for a visit, be it the first or 500th. As in Rome, the abundance of amazing art can be somewhat overwhelming and trying to see it all and digest what you are seeing can be a lot to deal with. This, should do nothing more than encourage you to come again and again…..
Paid a visit to my very favorite online newspaper: The Florentine…… and scored a copy of this wonderful book:
While I was there I told the nice people I met that I was the one who applied for a job there about a year ago even though I knew I wasn’t qualified – you had to speak fluent Italian (no) and you had to live in Florence (not yet)……….
I’m off to Union Square today – to pretend I am at Mercato Centrale ……..or Mercato Sant’Ambrosio………… (more self-deception – or dreaming – would be a “healthier” word LOL – I’m plotting about who I can go into business with so I can spend all of my time “over there”….. hmmmmm)
🙂 🙂 🙂
(Two more to go: Food Markets of Florence and Piazzale Michaelangelo – the absolute must-see venue of Florence!)