Under the Tuscan Sun….and Clouds

We’ve had 2 dramatic thunderstorms and we love the way they rumble through the valleys, provide the perfect sleeping sound, and refresh the already sparkling air.  This morning it rained for about an hour (politely after 2 members of the crew had just returned from a long hike) then out came the sun and dried up all the rain…in a matter of minutes, it seemed.  I just hung out a load of laundry (getting pretty used to this, on year 4 of no clothing dryer), and 30 minutes later about half of it was dry.  It’s hot in the sun here, as we have found out when trying to complete an ambitious schedule in Florence.  We have decided for our third day in Firenze (it sounds so much more fun in Italian, doesn’t it?) we are going to go in early again, but leave either before or just after lunch.  Those dog hours of 1:30-4:30 are too much for me and suck the life out of my bones.  The Italians call it “la pausa” and I intend to follow the suggestion from here forward. I respect those shopkeepers who close during those hours; no one needs to get their linens or bread or whatever when it’s too hot to think. 

Yesterday was another successful day in Firenze, with the Boboli Gardens up first, then the adjoining, massive Pitti Palace, where I thoroughly enjoyed the costume galleries, and liked some of the Palatine Gallery, but got overwhelmed quickly with the amount of space and art work displayed.  I tried to find one great work/room and focus on it a bit, and then check out the digs, which were where the Medici Family lived during their heyday in the renaissance.  I can’t imagine trying to find everyone in that palace for a meal; you could literally hide casually in any of several rooms and it would take days for someone to discover you. Pictures HERE.

Gelato count yesterday, well, who’s counting?  Let’s focus on the fantastic flavors:  coffee, chocolate, chocolate with candied orange peel (pic of the day) Grom’s “mix” (close second), peach (come to think of it, excellent as well) and finally passion fruit sorbet, which knocked my socks off.  In other words, no dogs, not even a mediocre in the bunch.  They are only small scoops, really.  Anyway, who’s counting?  There will NOT be this kind of gelato in China, certainly, or anywhere I’ve been in America, save one GROM shop in NYC in the lower east side.  I feel I am doing my duty by fully embracing the slogan of “eat locally”.