Florence 5/17

To view the most beautiful picture by a professional photographer please view my neices blog.  Her photos are beautiful.  She is an artist. See http://www.mikecandi.blogspot.com/  for an artistic view of what we did on our trip.  I can barely keep up with such little internet access.  Missing home but enjoying all that there is to offer me, especially the gelato.

The Best Recipe for Pizza

Dough _+ Marinara

 Fresh Tomatos Basil Prosciutto salami

 Olive Oil

 Mozerella and Pecorino Cheese

Talented chefs

Beautiful Surroundings

 Beautiful people

A Pizza Oven

 A whole lota love

Thank you Scott and Adrienne, Michael and Candice, Nicole and Dan and my roommate/comp for the trip, Robby for making my birthday dinner so much fun.  I loved the energy, enthusiasm, music, dance, competition that made that night so memorable.  I so appreciate your generosity, love and the beautiful lives you live. E bella la vita!  Grazi Mille!  The photos were taken by Candice Stowell, Nicole Davis and myself.

Duomo

Duomo stemming from domus dei = The House of God. In this case it is also the seat of the bishop. Another word for Duomo is cathedral meaning chair or in this case the chair of the Bishop. 

Picture of Duomo above was by my neice Candice 

Picture by Candice.

 Saint Peter by Michael Angelo.  He was commissioned to sculpt three others however his work was interrupted by a far more important work, that of the David!  AWESOME! So he left Sienna for Florence, his home town to sculpt what is known as the most perfect representation of man in exhistence 

 The frescos in this room were created for the library within the cathedral.  The books ended up being stored in Rome and so the library was never used and so the  frescos within those walls are still bright and bold.

 A bronze by Donatello

Italians of the middle ages had major case of Duomo envy.  Siena had the largest Duomo at one time until the plans for Florence's Duomo were created and ground was broken.  When Siena found out about Florence's plans, they broke ground to extend their duomo and then Florence reacted to Siena and extended their Duomo.  Both cities were beat out by the Duomo in Rome Saint Peters.  All the buildings were magnificent and still are.

Siena

First stop on the trip was the city of Siena--an ancient city that was once one of the most powerful city states in Italy until the black death killed thirty thousand of it's fifty thousand residents in the 14th century, yet its city walls still stand as do the many homes, palaces and businesses which were created hundreds of years ago. The city is rich in pride and tradition.

One tradition that I found particularily fascinating is that the city is split up into 17 districts and loyalty to that districts surpasses even family. If one child is born in one district and another in a different district fist fights may erupt when it comes time for Il Palio-- a horse race held twice a year. Each district is represented by a horse that races around Il Campo (the city center) three times. The winners have definite bragging rights. During the week of Il Palio families are no longer families instead they are loyal only to their districts: best friends will not talk, husbands and wives separate, brothers will throw punches.

plaque representing a district

Il Palio

Il Campo

Il Campo

Look Lunch--Squab was on every menu in Florence and Siena. Squab is pigeon. I don't get it. Robby was the brave one and tried it out. I am very impressed. He said it tasted like chicken...

I had an incredible birthday dinner.
More on that tomorrow. Gotta hit the hay, it is 2:30 here. Ciao.

Morning Hike on the Property

I took a morning walk on the property. Luckily we didn't see any wild boar that are suppposed to roam the property. Off to Florence.

Tuscany and Tre Querce

Arrived safe and sound to our Tuscan "home away from home" Tre Querce I will go into more details later but for now just some picture of where we are staying and where I get to spend my 45 birthday. It is truly surreal and the trip of a lifetime. I have been so emotional today loving every bit of what I see and experience and yet missing my kids. More to come. Buena Sera!

Tre Querce--in the beautiful rolling hills of Tuscany where wild boar are supposed to roam the property. Praying i don't see one but if I do, I will have may camera ready for a picture before I sprint, brace and all.