Thinking about gardens . . .

Today I am thinking about the gardens of Florence.  The Boboli Garden is the most famous, but newly renovated and now opened in the same Oltarno neighborhood is the Giardino Bardini.  It's been closed for decades, so seeing it, especially in the spring, will be a rare treat!  I've pulled out my old book, "The Garden Lover's Guide to Italy," by Penelope Hobhouse, for some info on the other gardens in the area.  I remembering how beautiful the wisteria is in April.

John Singer Sargent

Each time I go to Italy, I like to have a "theme."  Sometimes it's an artist--Giotto, Artemisia, have been recent themes.  Once I did "Overview of Western Civilization" when traveling by car throughout Southern Italy and Sicily.  This next trip one of the themes will be John Singer Sargent, an American artist who was born in Florence.  The Strozzi Museum will have an exhibition entitled "Americans in Florence," which opens March 2, 2012:  http://www.palazzostrozzi.org/Sezione.jsp?idSezione=683

Monterosso update

Reposted from Rick Steves' Graffiti Wall:
FYI - Ristorante Miky survived with minimal damage and Ca Du Gigante and the Cantina (more the cantina) sustained lots of damage from the flooding. In the New Town we are incredibly lucky it was just water. We are working round the clock with friends, family and the community to repair, rebuild, and save our town. Thank you all so much for your kind words and prayers and thoughts.
Christine Mitchell
Monterosso al Mare,  10/28/2011

One of the best-kept secrets

For reasons unknown to me, Florence does not widely advertise the wonderful bargain, membership to the state-run museums.  The membership is called" Amici degli Uffizi," and is sold at a special office in the Uffizi.  The family pass is 100 euro for two adults (I've had a lot of different "sisters" over the years) and two children, and entry is good for an entire calendar year.  You just flash your card and a picture ID at the museum guard and you get to go in front of all those people standing in line!  The card can be used at the Uffizi, the Pitti, the Bargello, the Accademia, and more.  It's a way better deal that the Firenze card for 50 euro that is only good for three days.

Monterosso during happier times . . .

Flooding in Liguria and Tuscany

Today I am just sad, watching the videos of the devastation caused by flooding, Tues Oct 25, yesterday.   Especially hard hit was  Monterosso, one of the Cinque Terre, which I visited in 2005.  I'm wondering where else the flooding is bad?  It's another reminder that Mother Nature is really in charge.  Has anyone read Robert Clark's Dark Water, flood and redemption in the City of Masterpieces?  It's the best book yet about the devastated Florence in November 1966.

Prato

I'm thinking about Prato today.  It's 20 minutes from Florence by train, and costs less than 4 euro for a round-trip ticket.  I started reading Iris Origo's book, A Merchant from Prato, again last night.  It'a a biography of sorts, and is based on Sr. Datini's documents, which were sealed up inside a wall of his palazzo, from the time of his death in the early 15th century, until some time in the 19th!  I think his palazzo is still there, and open to the public. Has anyone been to Prato recently?

The Ponte Vecchio, my own photo, and my screen saver.

Dreams of Italy

I have a box of treasures.  It sits under my coffee table in California, and when I get "homesick" for Tuscany, for Firenze in particular, I pull it out and start dreaming/planning my next trip back.