Hot and tired

Hi everybody, from hot, hot Florence. Sorry to tell you that. I think it is 28 today.

I guess I kind of wore out yesterday. I am tired today. This morning, I went to a big market (both food and shopping, lots of leather and silk stuff). I met Brian after getting lost (again) and we went to the Medici Chapels. Again, another amazing place. It's the momument and tomb for many of the Medici family, and much of the work in the sacristy (where they are buried) was Michelangelo's. We were going to go in the church there too, but I am at the 'it's just another church' stage.

Brian went to go the Bargello Sculpture museum, and I went off shopping. We met back at the apartment after lunch. I had mostly a nice walk, not too much shopping, and I sat on the steps at the Piazza de le Signoria (sp?), and stared at the copy of David in the square, and listened to some fine acoustic guitar player, playing in the square. It was lovely.

After a nap, I went out of my own again, and once again, got lost. I was supposed to meet Brian but I was late again, because I turned the wrong way. We went to the Baptistery with the Ghiberti Doors and looked at all the Biblical stories they told.

Tomorrow, I am going to a fine palace that I have been at before (the Pitti Palace). It's full of art too, but it is also pretty much in it's original form, with furniture, etc. It has an attached costume gallery, silver museum, and beautiful gardens, so I will be there so quite a while I think. I am not sure if I will do anything else. I am getting pretty tired, and pretty saturated with art, and history. Brian and Ray are going to go by bus to a little town called Fiesole, they think, outside of Florence, and are thinking of walking back. Today, Mike and Laurie went to Cinque Terre (five towns) to hike them. It's supposed to be amazing. Ray and Judy wanted to go too, but it's going to be a long day. Mike and Laurie left at 7am, and won't be back until about 10pm.

We leave for Ostia (just outside of Rome, near the airport) travelling by the 'fast' train, on Wednesday morning. We'll stay overnight there and leave on Thursday morning. Our flight from Rome to Toronto is longer than coming here, something to do with the jet stream. It's about 10 1-2 hours, and then a couple hours wait before we come home.

Time to get back. All these moms (Laurie, Judy and I) miss our children and grandbabies. Even with all this art, history, and beauty, there is nothing like our families.