Letters from Italy Part 6 (written in 2008)

Good morning from Florence

Monday May 5, 2008

  

Ciao!

It is my last day in Florence and I have allowed myself the luxury of sleeping in.  My sinus infection came back within two days after the antibiotic finished and I wasn't surprised as it usually takes me a round of 10 days but the pharmacist was unwilling to give it to me.  So I went to a pharmacy in Florence and got more.  All of the pharmacists here are doctors so you get to skip that step, which is wonderful.  I am thankful that I learned that from Nada, who did the trip planning class at Borders.

Almost all of the Chicago ladies were sick as well by the end of the week with sore throats and aches.  Must be going around.  They think I started it but not so sure... :)

I forgot to mention that we visited a WWII American Memorial on Friday before we went to the Terracotta place.  It was a beautiful and peaceful place and the setting was amazing.  Hundreds and hundreds of white crosses lined perfectly up two hills and met at a large memorial with all of the names, ranks, and hometowns of the soldiers from America who had died here.  I took lots of pictures there.  Some of the ladies said it reminded them of Normandy. 

We ate that day outside at a place that used old singer sewing machine tables as dining tables.  Very fun place and we must have had 6 appetizers before the soup and pasta...I don't think much pasta was eaten.  The wine has been very good and plentiful.  I have had it at every meal except for breakfast.  I think I have drunk more wine here than my entire life put together!  But I have felt that I overindulged only once.  Was a little dizzy after the Singer Sewing machine lunch!

Friday night we ate at a Fish restaurant which was delicious and the presentation was fabulous.  Large platters of all kinds of fish, mussels with something breaded mixed in, HUGE shrimp--I've never seen them this large, and of course the whole heads of fish (I did not partake in the fish heads).  The decor was middle eastern and the view from the back terrace was perfect.  I took more pictures, of course.  My favorite wine was the sparkling white wine that we had at this meal.

Yesterday I went to a Pizzeria for lunch that had outside seating in the back.  I have enjoyed drinking bottled peach tea while I have been here and the label reads "Pesca Tea."  I went to the counter and asked for "pesha" tea and the man responded, we do not have "pesha" tea, but we have "peach" tea, or "peska" tea.  You asked for FISH tea!  ha ha  I need to work on my Italian!

I enjoyed the Uffizi museum yesterday--the renaissance art was amazing.  But I think I am done with museums until Venice.  One good one a day is plenty for me. 

What will I NOT miss about Italia?  The cigarette smoke!  It is everywhere.  Yesterday I left my windows open in my B&B room and when I returned last night; it smelled very badly of smoke because the smoking terrace is right outside my room.  ugh...it is better now, thankfully.

I had a wonderful dinner last night at a little restaurant I happened upon in a building that used to be a church.  The appetizer was asparagus but it was unrecognizable to me.  It was mixed with cheese and formed into a solid tower of sorts and around it was a cream sauce.  SO FANTASTIC but I am not sure what it was.  Then I had ravioli as my main course and skipped the rest.  Hoping these waiters are not too offended but on my own it seems too expensive and frivolous to eat all 4 courses.  Besides, I had had my daily gelato fix earlier.

Today I plan to just wander the streets and people-watch.  I'll let you

know if I see anything interesting...

Ciao!

Janice