The Canadian Chronicles: Fun in Florence

Four weeks out and I'm still here...icing my knee. The good news is the crutches, and the "big black brace of torture" were out of business after 2 weeks! The bad news is, I am still not supposed to walk as far as I want and feel like I am able. Something about swelling, blah, blah, blah. I miss my daily moving meditation fiercely! Counting the days (I hope) or weeks (probably) until a 2- or 3-mile walk is my normal routine again! So far, a slow mile, for which I am very thankful, is my max. Range of motion has improved greatly; pain level is low...unless you count those 5 minutes at physical therapy spent on my stomach with a 3-pound weight strapped to my ankle straightening my leg. All in all, making progress but apparently healing takes more than a strong will and hard work...it takes time. Tick, tick, tick.

Meanwhile, back to Italy...we took the train from Rome to Florence. This wasn't my first train ride in Europe, but it is our first trip to rely on public transit as our main transportation. I may be a convert! I was hesitant to give up having control of my own destiny but with 7 people it just seemed the most efficient. I really like being able to stop in any interesting places along the way, but the train was very efficient, and that was important if we wanted to see as much as possible in the least amount of time. No complaints!

Time to journal and do a Sudoku or 10.

I have not been to Florence since 2008. I forgot just how lovely it is. I need to go back and maybe live my Tuscan dream someday. With only 2 days there, we had an agenda...David, the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, pizza and gelato. We came, we saw, and we ate! Our Airbnb was HUGE and conveniently located next door to a nice gelato shop, much to the boy's delight! The location really could not have been better. Of course, TJ and I had the bedroom at the back of the apartment, away from the street. I hear from those staying in the bedrooms in the front, the noise from the "open until 4 a.m." bar across the street was constant. I guess you really can't have it all. But we came close.

Like I said, Huge!

Rachel in the noisy window for perspective.

Once we got settled in our huge apartment, we went about 4 doors down the street for lunch. We were starving! Glad we visited the place for lunch because as it turned out, they were closed for dinner...and the food was delicious! First order of the afternoon was to see David at the Accademia Gallery which we had pre-purchased timed entry tickets, one of the advantages to come out of Covid...no standing in long lines to buy tickets. On our way, since we had the time, we stopped in to tour the Basilica of Santa Croce which was between our apartment and the Accademia. We were also very lucky that the piazza and the basilica were relatively empty.

Funny thing, I can't count the number of times we found ourselves in churches with beautiful courtyards attached or in a beautiful piazza and I would find the boys, seated on a bench playing a number game with their hands. I still do not know the name of the game (Chopsticks maybe?) or exactly how it is played, but they played it in countless amazing locations. Who needs electronics when you have two hands?!

Monte Cassino
Meanwhile, John is contemplating life after Italy.

Piazza Santa Croce

Basilica of Santa Croce courtyard

Florence did not disappoint. David glowed in all of his marble glory. The weather could not have been nicer, making everything more beautiful. I managed to take a stroll along the river and caught the golden hour! My daughter and her family climbed to the top of the Duomo for a rewarding view. TJ and I walked to the top of Piazza Michaelangelo for our rewarding view. We had dinner at a very local restaurant, no English spoken, and it was delicious! The gelato next door got a couple visits from the boys.

Because you can never see too many photos of this iconic bridge!

The icing on the cake...or the pizza pie, was our pizza and gelato making class. You know how sometimes you book things online and then wonder if they will be as good as they look or if you will end up feeling like you got taken to the cleaners? Leading up to the class I found myself feeling that way. From the very nice medium sized bus that picked up our group of about 20 people and drove us into the hills outside the city to the aperitivos set out to greet us, to the science-based explanations along with entertaining commentary about making the pizza and the gelato, we were captivated. The location of the farmhouse was classic Tuscany. The staff, very professional and entertaining. The wine...flowing. The food, delicious. They boys had a blast; their parents had a blast, and their grandparents had a blast! Totally worth it!