Florence

What can I say about Florence that hasn't already been said......it is not as big as Rome and it is less noisy, touristy?, of course.  The Florentines are lovely people with easy smiles and eager to please.  The hotel we stayed at the first night La Case Della Morfeo, was small (9 rooms) clean and very close to the Duomo.  

Sunday, we went on a Taste Florence Tour with Toni Massaglia.  Toni is the daughter of my friend, Denette.  Toni has been living in Italy for 12 years and has developed a very successful tour business.  We were treated to a private tour of pastry shops (pasticcera) wine and cheese (encoteca), gelato and a wonderful demonstration of florentine paper making.  Of course, we made a stop at the San Lorenzo market and the Mercato Centrale.

This is Olivero, a sommelier and owner of a shop near the Mercato who guided us through some wonderful wines, olive oils and balsamic vinegars of Italy. Hopefully, I will remember all this great advice when it is time to buy these products at home.  Olivero was shy, but was very generous with his extensive knowledge of these products.

And this is Ricardo, paper maker extradinario!!

I have always been fascinated with this technique of printing and it was such a treat to observe it first hand.  (Altered Artists...attention...he used wallpaper paste mixed with water and acrylic paints rather than oils (cost being the deciding factor.  Nonetheless, it was great to watch him create the designs).

I start school today, but I still have to tell you about the apartment, etc. etc. etc.