Trip Report - Easter Week in Venice/Milan/Florence
May 30th, 2014, 07:13 AM
#21
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Annhig, haha well for whatever it's worth I can vouch that you're not making it up 
Oh yes you're definitely right in that they bring those particular hosts (one or more pieces of the consecrated bread/Eucharist) and venerate it on particular feast days or when notable Catholics come who would want to reverence it.
So...tangent from the original thread forthcoming, but it has to do with your travel experience so I'm just going to run with it.
It seems like your comprehension was quite good. Though maybe they didn't explain some background that would've helped understand it more? Who knows! There are a whole bunch of Eucharistic miracles similar in nature to this one. It's a nuanced thing to explain in person, much less in writing. This occurrence in Siena is notable because Catholics (myself included in that) believe the Eucharist (those pieces of blessed bread), are the true Presence of Christ (meaning that in a mystical way, he's present in his entirety - body, blood, soul and divinity - under the 'veil' of the matter of bread and water.
So there was a certain number of hosts that had been desecrated and then found (I think a year later?) - miraculously preserved when by all accounts they should have disintegrated. (When the matter (the bread and water) disintegrate, then the presence of Christ is gone since the matter is no longer intact.) They kept them around, thinking they'd disintegrate (they tested non-consecrated hosts, which disintegrated) and studied the hosts through years with both Catholic and non-Catholics doing the tests. Some were consumed, as is the major impetus for the Catholic Mass, at special Masses and so maybe your memory of them being worried that they'd run out was because they have some kind of policy to allow special visitors to consume a Host at the Mass they participate in?
I realize how odd that all may sound (I wasn't always Catholic so I know first-hand), but hopefully that explains a bit what they were talking about when you were there.
I see you have many trip reports - I'm looking forward to browsing through them, particularly as I plan a trip to France (for the first time).
Oh yes you're definitely right in that they bring those particular hosts (one or more pieces of the consecrated bread/Eucharist) and venerate it on particular feast days or when notable Catholics come who would want to reverence it. So...tangent from the original thread forthcoming, but it has to do with your travel experience so I'm just going to run with it.
It seems like your comprehension was quite good. Though maybe they didn't explain some background that would've helped understand it more? Who knows! There are a whole bunch of Eucharistic miracles similar in nature to this one. It's a nuanced thing to explain in person, much less in writing. This occurrence in Siena is notable because Catholics (myself included in that) believe the Eucharist (those pieces of blessed bread), are the true Presence of Christ (meaning that in a mystical way, he's present in his entirety - body, blood, soul and divinity - under the 'veil' of the matter of bread and water. So there was a certain number of hosts that had been desecrated and then found (I think a year later?) - miraculously preserved when by all accounts they should have disintegrated. (When the matter (the bread and water) disintegrate, then the presence of Christ is gone since the matter is no longer intact.) They kept them around, thinking they'd disintegrate (they tested non-consecrated hosts, which disintegrated) and studied the hosts through years with both Catholic and non-Catholics doing the tests. Some were consumed, as is the major impetus for the Catholic Mass, at special Masses and so maybe your memory of them being worried that they'd run out was because they have some kind of policy to allow special visitors to consume a Host at the Mass they participate in?
I realize how odd that all may sound (I wasn't always Catholic so I know first-hand), but hopefully that explains a bit what they were talking about when you were there.
I see you have many trip reports - I'm looking forward to browsing through them, particularly as I plan a trip to France (for the first time).
May 30th, 2014, 07:39 AM
#22
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Oh so sorry annhig, I just saw your note about the bad link. Somehow it had an extra parenthesis - this should work!
http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/siena.html
http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/siena.html
May 30th, 2014, 08:19 AM
#24
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Isn't that the best feeling annhig! Aside: I saw that you took an Italian course in Roma. Have you used any written or audio materials that you'd recommend to refresh one's comprehension or just be generally immersed?
I learned Italian 8 years ago from an odd combo of just being there with friends or solo for 2 months and picking up some Langenscheidt books (ex. 'Italienish in 30 Tagen') while in Munich. Learning Italian through German, as a native English speaker. It was nerdy and awesome and thoroughly engaging.
Anyway, looking to refresh my Italian and the Pimsleur courses I'm checking out are nice, but too beginner for my level.
Next language will be French so hopefully any good materials in the one language will likewise be good for the other. Do you have any recommendations based on your experiences?
I learned Italian 8 years ago from an odd combo of just being there with friends or solo for 2 months and picking up some Langenscheidt books (ex. 'Italienish in 30 Tagen') while in Munich. Learning Italian through German, as a native English speaker. It was nerdy and awesome and thoroughly engaging.
Anyway, looking to refresh my Italian and the Pimsleur courses I'm checking out are nice, but too beginner for my level.
Next language will be French so hopefully any good materials in the one language will likewise be good for the other. Do you have any recommendations based on your experiences?
May 30th, 2014, 01:22 PM
#25
dulcie - I have found that Michel Thomas is the best resource; I use the CDs in the car going to and from work which gives me about 20 mins in each direction. The "advanced" course has 8 CDs [about 8 hours] taking one from beginner through the main tenses and sentence construction. I have used his spanish course as well [am doing it at the moment in fact] and though I've not heard the french one, I should think that it's pretty good too. I like the way that he teaches proper grammar which can be used in any situation, not just how to buy an apple!
Your library may have it [or at least a beginner's version, which is 2 CDs] so you can see what it's like before you buy. e-Bay might have it going cheap as well, but make sure that you are buying the CDs if that is what you want [cassette tapes are also available].
I can't imagine learning italian through a german course; you must like making things difficult for yourself!
Your library may have it [or at least a beginner's version, which is 2 CDs] so you can see what it's like before you buy. e-Bay might have it going cheap as well, but make sure that you are buying the CDs if that is what you want [cassette tapes are also available].
I can't imagine learning italian through a german course; you must like making things difficult for yourself!
May 30th, 2014, 08:41 PM
#26
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you for the recommendation - going to look it up right now!
Well, necessity is the mother of invention as they say - I knew I was heading back to Italy for another 3 weeks after a 3-week sojourn in Germany so learning Italian better seemed like the best thing! But the only books that the very large bookstore in Munich had were in German. Thankfully, 4 semesters of German at my university came in handy!
Also, I met a fun British man in a hostel in Perugia through those books! He saw them and sat down near me and struck up a conversation in German. I informed him that German was not my native tongue (him = confused) and then I said that I'm American. It was the start of a beautiful traveler-friendship!
Thanks again for the recommendation!!
Well, necessity is the mother of invention as they say - I knew I was heading back to Italy for another 3 weeks after a 3-week sojourn in Germany so learning Italian better seemed like the best thing! But the only books that the very large bookstore in Munich had were in German. Thankfully, 4 semesters of German at my university came in handy!
Also, I met a fun British man in a hostel in Perugia through those books! He saw them and sat down near me and struck up a conversation in German. I informed him that German was not my native tongue (him = confused) and then I said that I'm American. It was the start of a beautiful traveler-friendship!
Thanks again for the recommendation!!
May 31st, 2014, 02:14 AM
#27
dulci - that must the the first time that a german course on learning italian had that effect!
we tried to find a book on learning spanish in Valencia - no luck at all, though our lack of the right words for "do you have any books on learning spanish for foreigners?" probably contributed to our lack of success. But of course if we could say that, we wouldn't have needed them. I did wish at that point I'd got further with my studies before we left.
our italian teacher often uses a german book as a resource for our lessons - so all the vocab is translated into german. It sounds as if learning italian is pretty popular in Germany.
we tried to find a book on learning spanish in Valencia - no luck at all, though our lack of the right words for "do you have any books on learning spanish for foreigners?" probably contributed to our lack of success. But of course if we could say that, we wouldn't have needed them. I did wish at that point I'd got further with my studies before we left.
our italian teacher often uses a german book as a resource for our lessons - so all the vocab is translated into german. It sounds as if learning italian is pretty popular in Germany.
Jun 9th, 2014, 08:07 PM
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,741
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It's here! The final leg! And, as promised, the graphics for the Scoppio del Carro!
Florence
*Palazzo Vecchio – With the number of people who were in Florence Easter week, I was surprised to find so few people here. And what a shame!
I loved this palace-turned-museum. Some really beautiful art, especially the ceilings (well, heck, it is a very big canvas to work on, right?). I thought some of the highlights were the numerous wood and inlaid-stone cabinets and the “boy and girl” water taps in what is the first indoor sink and taps I’ve ever seen in a building that dates to 1300. These were, perhaps, added later. I don’t know. But I found them fascinating.
Another favorite was the massive mural painting in the great hall. The scale is unbelievable. Must have been difficult to complete. But it’s lovely.
My asthma was acting up the day I visited, so I was happy to see that there was an elevator to the top floors (but not the clock tower). FYI.
*Palazzo Pitti – I think the palace gardens here might have held more interest for me on this day, but, alas- it is two flights of stairs up to the gardens and my asthma wouldn't cooperate.
There is some beautiful art here. The sheer number of paintings and rooms is mind-boggling, though. Fortunately, each room has information cards/maps for the art in that room; they are also in 3 languages.
But after the first 4 or 5 rooms, I found myself picking out the paintings that interested me and then finding the related info on the room card.
Then later, it got worse- I’d just browse the room card to see if there were any paintings by artists I knew I liked; then I would go look at those.
Perhaps it is just a matter of allowing enough time to view all of the rooms. You will no doubt need a full day.
I also visited the Galleria del Costume here. The most fascinating part was a current display of hats across the centuries. Some were simple, but beautiful; some more elaborate. Some would probably be just as popular today as they were in their original day. I really loved browsing here. (Thin, you might've spent hours in this gallery, alone. )
The Museo degli Argenti, across the courtyard, was my next stop. I had to wonder how the Medici could possibly have collected all this, as where would you put it all?
The gold and ivory objects were terrific. And, as always, some macabre (at least, in my opinion) items. Don’t know what the fascination was with skulls and bones. Not my cup of tea.
*Santa Croce – I’ve visited here many times before. And I will continue to visit it in the future. All the usual things one says about this church are true- the art, the architecture, etc. But I have always gone to simply pay my respects to some of the great men entombed here. Galileo, Michelangelo, Rossini…
I highly encourage everyone who visits Florence that this is a must-see site.
*Easter Sunday – The Scoppio del Carro (Explosion of the Carriage!) This was great. If you ever are planning a spring trip to Italy, do try to end up in Florence for Easter Sunday.
Though rain was forecast, the day started bright and sunny. I could see clouds to the south building up, but they stayed south and we had a glorious day!
I wandered to the Piazza del Duomo at 9:30am. It is just a 2-minute walk from Hotel Casci (my 5th visit to this awesome hotel). Already the people had started to gather and the police had cordoned off the area directly in front of the cathedral. The people, at this point, were about 4-deep behind the barriers.
I moved into what I thought was a good position, out of the sun and to the north side of the square.
Just then, I heard the drummers. Shortly, a parade of young men and boys, dressed in period garb, proceeded to march into the square from the southwest corner. As they marched, they climbed the steps and formed a tier of bright orange and yellow as they settled on the first three stairs of the cathedral.
Then came the flag-bearers, who tossed their medieval flags in time to the beating drums. It was very colorful and moving, stirring one’s imagination. The excitement in both the participants and the crowd was palpable.
Now comes two gorgeous flawless-white oxen, pulling the 18th-century wooden tower that would become the focus of our attention in the not-too-distant future. “The Carriage” (or “the cart”).
The oxen are decked out in glorious garlands of gladiolas and lilies, sunflowers and greenery galore! Considering the crowds, they are very calm and seem quite relaxed. Perhaps they’ve done this before?
The great and intricately-designed wooden tower now is pulled to the very front step of the cathedral and stops. The oxen are unhitched and politely make their way out of the square from whence they came. (Surely, the coming events would dictate that all animals are removed from the square!)
As firemen and other workers start to apply safety measures (tying down the cart, extending the ignition wire to the cathedral, laying down some kind of fire retardant, etc), the Archbishop of Florence comes down the stairs of the cathedral with entourage in tow.
He proceeds along the barrier with incense and holy water, blessing the crowd as he goes. All the while, sweet music flows out over us: Speakers have been set up outside the cathedral and we are hearing the moving voices of the choir inside as they crescendo in song to the Lord.
The excitement of the crowd is growing. Nigh around 10 am, the Archbishop makes his way back into the cathedral to say mass, while the crowd swells to 15- or 20-deep. Most are well-behaved, but I am struggling to keep my stance against a man who simply believes he is entitled to cut through the crowd and get a front-row spot. I’m not budging. He has mistakenly assumed he can push past me, but cannot possibly know that it is not my physical body he must push past: It is the stubbornness of someone who not only believes in fairness (if you wanted to be up front, you should have come at 8:30), but is a former Marine raised on the south side of Chicago. I do not budge.
My knees are locked and I’m starting to get antsy when I realize I’ve forgotten my camera back at the hotel! ARGH!!! (I hate getting old!) There is no question about going back for it. And I do have my cellphone with camera. However, I did not bring my laptop with me this trip, and so I’ve already taken 8 days’ worth of photos and videos from Milan and Venice on my cellphone.
There is no time to try to weed through those to make more room.
I quickly make a mental decision that I will not beat myself up about this- whatever I cannot get on film, I will have burned in my memory… and I can always come back.
Mass ends almost exactly at 11am. The crowd is buzzing. Anticipation is high when… the bells of the cathedral start peeling! And then…YES, there it is- the unmistakable whistling sound of something coming down the wire that runs from the cathedral. It is a wooden dove and she carries the torch that lights the fireworks!!
The noise is deafening as from the top of the wooden tower, fireworks of red and green and blue start spewing into the sky, reaching past the top of the cathedral bell tower. Rapid popping sounds, like a machine gun, make several people put their hands to their ears. Alas, at about 75 seconds in, my phone shuts down the video- I’m out of cloud!
The fireworks shooting upward continue for 3-4 minutes. Then the carefully-designed fuse arrives at the pinwheels on the cart. Bright white spinning wheels of sparks start slow and then pick up pace. Kids are squealing (heck, so was I!), adults are oohing and aahing.
After several minutes of that, we are back to rockets going off and more pinwheels and bright colors.. the display is terrific and what a tradition! (My taxi driver later that day insists this pageantry is well-founded in religion and has been going on for at least 700 years.)
It seems to go on forever, the whistling sounds of the pinwheels interspersed with laughter and shouting from the crowd.
Finally, after about 15-20 minutes, the tower is spent. Cheering erupts as the crowd signals its' appreciation! A good time was had by all. Thank heavens for the nice breeze, as it carries the smoke up and away from the piazza.
I have a couple of pictures in the link listed above, but here is a link to the 75 seconds or so I got before my video shut down:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qsn4...ature=youtu.be
I hope it peaks your interest enough to want to plan your Easter trip to Florence!
*Shopping- I was specifically trying to locate the same leather shop where I’d purchased a purse 2 years ago. Ever since I brought that red purse home, my MIL has been bugging me for it. I was thrilled to find the shop in the San Lorenzo market area!
Their leather products are so very well-made- I’ve been using that purse non-stop for 2-1/2 years and it still looks new! People ask me all the time where I got it.
All the leather is marked with “I MEDICI/FIRENZE”. And the shop is at Via Dell’Ariento 13/R.
They had the same purse in stock, but not the same color. I asked about the red. They got on the phone and called their other shop. “SI !!!” They had it in the other shop and 10 minutes later, it was in my hot little hands.
In addition, I saw a lovely dark red purse I just knew my best friend would love, so I put that on the counter, too. Because I was a repeat customer, and buying two pieces, I bargained down to what I thought was a good deal. I was very happy to find that purse so that I can now give it to my MIL!
I also ended up buying another small purse for myself from a street vendor near Santa Croce. It was the same kiosk I bought one at in 2010. That purse also has lasted a very long time for the use it has gotten. I still use it when I need a small purse. But this new one is awesome. Just the right size and it happens to be constructed of both red and dark red leather. Beautiful.
*One Special Lunch with Fodorite OReilly! Last, but not least, my wonderful 3-hour lunch with Ger! We met at a little restaurant/pizzeria in the middle of a covered courtyard.
It is called, “La Galleria Il Vino dei Guelfi, on Via Guicciardini, 48-R. It was rather difficult to find, since the entrance is actually in the courtyard. And it has two entrances onto the courtyard-one for the full restaurant, and one for the pizzeria. (If you’re trying to locate it- the entrance to the courtyard is across the street from a shop called “Lorenzo”.)
It was perfect. I started with Prosecco and Ger had red wine. The food was good- the company great! What a hoot! Had a real blast with this fellow Fodorite and looking forward to our next rendezvous!
Finito! Already planning my next trip in October of next year. Thanks, all, for coming along for the ride!
Florence
*Palazzo Vecchio – With the number of people who were in Florence Easter week, I was surprised to find so few people here. And what a shame!
I loved this palace-turned-museum. Some really beautiful art, especially the ceilings (well, heck, it is a very big canvas to work on, right?). I thought some of the highlights were the numerous wood and inlaid-stone cabinets and the “boy and girl” water taps in what is the first indoor sink and taps I’ve ever seen in a building that dates to 1300. These were, perhaps, added later. I don’t know. But I found them fascinating.
Another favorite was the massive mural painting in the great hall. The scale is unbelievable. Must have been difficult to complete. But it’s lovely.
My asthma was acting up the day I visited, so I was happy to see that there was an elevator to the top floors (but not the clock tower). FYI.
*Palazzo Pitti – I think the palace gardens here might have held more interest for me on this day, but, alas- it is two flights of stairs up to the gardens and my asthma wouldn't cooperate.
There is some beautiful art here. The sheer number of paintings and rooms is mind-boggling, though. Fortunately, each room has information cards/maps for the art in that room; they are also in 3 languages.
But after the first 4 or 5 rooms, I found myself picking out the paintings that interested me and then finding the related info on the room card.
Then later, it got worse- I’d just browse the room card to see if there were any paintings by artists I knew I liked; then I would go look at those.
Perhaps it is just a matter of allowing enough time to view all of the rooms. You will no doubt need a full day.
I also visited the Galleria del Costume here. The most fascinating part was a current display of hats across the centuries. Some were simple, but beautiful; some more elaborate. Some would probably be just as popular today as they were in their original day. I really loved browsing here. (Thin, you might've spent hours in this gallery, alone.
)The Museo degli Argenti, across the courtyard, was my next stop. I had to wonder how the Medici could possibly have collected all this, as where would you put it all?
The gold and ivory objects were terrific. And, as always, some macabre (at least, in my opinion) items. Don’t know what the fascination was with skulls and bones. Not my cup of tea.
*Santa Croce – I’ve visited here many times before. And I will continue to visit it in the future. All the usual things one says about this church are true- the art, the architecture, etc. But I have always gone to simply pay my respects to some of the great men entombed here. Galileo, Michelangelo, Rossini…
I highly encourage everyone who visits Florence that this is a must-see site.
*Easter Sunday – The Scoppio del Carro (Explosion of the Carriage!) This was great. If you ever are planning a spring trip to Italy, do try to end up in Florence for Easter Sunday.
Though rain was forecast, the day started bright and sunny. I could see clouds to the south building up, but they stayed south and we had a glorious day!
I wandered to the Piazza del Duomo at 9:30am. It is just a 2-minute walk from Hotel Casci (my 5th visit to this awesome hotel). Already the people had started to gather and the police had cordoned off the area directly in front of the cathedral. The people, at this point, were about 4-deep behind the barriers.
I moved into what I thought was a good position, out of the sun and to the north side of the square.
Just then, I heard the drummers. Shortly, a parade of young men and boys, dressed in period garb, proceeded to march into the square from the southwest corner. As they marched, they climbed the steps and formed a tier of bright orange and yellow as they settled on the first three stairs of the cathedral.
Then came the flag-bearers, who tossed their medieval flags in time to the beating drums. It was very colorful and moving, stirring one’s imagination. The excitement in both the participants and the crowd was palpable.
Now comes two gorgeous flawless-white oxen, pulling the 18th-century wooden tower that would become the focus of our attention in the not-too-distant future. “The Carriage” (or “the cart”).
The oxen are decked out in glorious garlands of gladiolas and lilies, sunflowers and greenery galore! Considering the crowds, they are very calm and seem quite relaxed. Perhaps they’ve done this before?
The great and intricately-designed wooden tower now is pulled to the very front step of the cathedral and stops. The oxen are unhitched and politely make their way out of the square from whence they came. (Surely, the coming events would dictate that all animals are removed from the square!)
As firemen and other workers start to apply safety measures (tying down the cart, extending the ignition wire to the cathedral, laying down some kind of fire retardant, etc), the Archbishop of Florence comes down the stairs of the cathedral with entourage in tow.
He proceeds along the barrier with incense and holy water, blessing the crowd as he goes. All the while, sweet music flows out over us: Speakers have been set up outside the cathedral and we are hearing the moving voices of the choir inside as they crescendo in song to the Lord.
The excitement of the crowd is growing. Nigh around 10 am, the Archbishop makes his way back into the cathedral to say mass, while the crowd swells to 15- or 20-deep. Most are well-behaved, but I am struggling to keep my stance against a man who simply believes he is entitled to cut through the crowd and get a front-row spot. I’m not budging. He has mistakenly assumed he can push past me, but cannot possibly know that it is not my physical body he must push past: It is the stubbornness of someone who not only believes in fairness (if you wanted to be up front, you should have come at 8:30), but is a former Marine raised on the south side of Chicago. I do not budge.
My knees are locked and I’m starting to get antsy when I realize I’ve forgotten my camera back at the hotel! ARGH!!! (I hate getting old!) There is no question about going back for it. And I do have my cellphone with camera. However, I did not bring my laptop with me this trip, and so I’ve already taken 8 days’ worth of photos and videos from Milan and Venice on my cellphone.
There is no time to try to weed through those to make more room.I quickly make a mental decision that I will not beat myself up about this- whatever I cannot get on film, I will have burned in my memory… and I can always come back.
Mass ends almost exactly at 11am. The crowd is buzzing. Anticipation is high when… the bells of the cathedral start peeling! And then…YES, there it is- the unmistakable whistling sound of something coming down the wire that runs from the cathedral. It is a wooden dove and she carries the torch that lights the fireworks!!
The noise is deafening as from the top of the wooden tower, fireworks of red and green and blue start spewing into the sky, reaching past the top of the cathedral bell tower. Rapid popping sounds, like a machine gun, make several people put their hands to their ears. Alas, at about 75 seconds in, my phone shuts down the video- I’m out of cloud!
The fireworks shooting upward continue for 3-4 minutes. Then the carefully-designed fuse arrives at the pinwheels on the cart. Bright white spinning wheels of sparks start slow and then pick up pace. Kids are squealing (heck, so was I!), adults are oohing and aahing.
After several minutes of that, we are back to rockets going off and more pinwheels and bright colors.. the display is terrific and what a tradition! (My taxi driver later that day insists this pageantry is well-founded in religion and has been going on for at least 700 years.)
It seems to go on forever, the whistling sounds of the pinwheels interspersed with laughter and shouting from the crowd.
Finally, after about 15-20 minutes, the tower is spent. Cheering erupts as the crowd signals its' appreciation! A good time was had by all. Thank heavens for the nice breeze, as it carries the smoke up and away from the piazza.
I have a couple of pictures in the link listed above, but here is a link to the 75 seconds or so I got before my video shut down:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qsn4...ature=youtu.be
I hope it peaks your interest enough to want to plan your Easter trip to Florence!
*Shopping- I was specifically trying to locate the same leather shop where I’d purchased a purse 2 years ago. Ever since I brought that red purse home, my MIL has been bugging me for it. I was thrilled to find the shop in the San Lorenzo market area!
Their leather products are so very well-made- I’ve been using that purse non-stop for 2-1/2 years and it still looks new! People ask me all the time where I got it.
All the leather is marked with “I MEDICI/FIRENZE”. And the shop is at Via Dell’Ariento 13/R.
They had the same purse in stock, but not the same color. I asked about the red. They got on the phone and called their other shop. “SI !!!” They had it in the other shop and 10 minutes later, it was in my hot little hands.
In addition, I saw a lovely dark red purse I just knew my best friend would love, so I put that on the counter, too. Because I was a repeat customer, and buying two pieces, I bargained down to what I thought was a good deal. I was very happy to find that purse so that I can now give it to my MIL!
I also ended up buying another small purse for myself from a street vendor near Santa Croce. It was the same kiosk I bought one at in 2010. That purse also has lasted a very long time for the use it has gotten. I still use it when I need a small purse. But this new one is awesome. Just the right size and it happens to be constructed of both red and dark red leather. Beautiful.
*One Special Lunch with Fodorite OReilly! Last, but not least, my wonderful 3-hour lunch with Ger! We met at a little restaurant/pizzeria in the middle of a covered courtyard.
It is called, “La Galleria Il Vino dei Guelfi, on Via Guicciardini, 48-R. It was rather difficult to find, since the entrance is actually in the courtyard. And it has two entrances onto the courtyard-one for the full restaurant, and one for the pizzeria. (If you’re trying to locate it- the entrance to the courtyard is across the street from a shop called “Lorenzo”.)
It was perfect. I started with Prosecco and Ger had red wine. The food was good- the company great! What a hoot! Had a real blast with this fellow Fodorite and looking forward to our next rendezvous!
Finito! Already planning my next trip in October of next year. Thanks, all, for coming along for the ride!
Jun 16th, 2014, 08:55 AM
#33
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,741
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Added a couple pics; https://italy2014sarge56.shutterfly.com/
