Florence: A Photo-Retrospective from December 2013

Florence, Parade at Cathedral, December 2013

A photo-retrospective on our trip to Florence in December 2013 (my postings about the trip will pop up if you click the label "Florence" beneath this posting):

Assisi 20.12.13: Mystic Fog and Zebras Running Through Manger Scenes

Assisi Evening, 20 December 2013

In Assisi now. We arrived about 3 P.M. and took a taxi up the hill to Casa Papa Giovanni. Absolutely none of the malarkey here about shared rooms, the finger-wagging about two men and matrimony. The nice lay staff member who greeted us and showed us to our room asked if we wanted one room or two, and when we told her one, she showed us to a room with two single beds.

Florence 20.12.13: Little David and Distrait Mary

Fra Angelico Crucifixion, San Marco, 20 Dec. 2013

Sitting in the busy, noisy Santa Maria Novella station (which has one pitiful banquette for the entire galumphing place, a banquette on which my big posterior is barely perched). We're awaiting our 12:10 train to Assisi.

Florence 19.12.2013 (3): Witch Candy and Cathedral Parades

Parade at Duomo, Evening of 19 December 2013

After the Uffizi, a walk to the Central Market, where we found a promising-looking trattoria, Trattoria Katti, in Via Faenza, a side street without any of the restaurants clearly intent on pulling in tourist trade. They had a nice-looking daily menu chalked on a blackboard outside, with reasonable prices, so we took a leap and went in, and were glad we did.

Florence 19.12.2013 (2): Barbarism to Civilization and Flora Morphing

Ponte Vecchio Viewed from Uffizi, 19 December 2013

Now at the Uffizi, having high-priced cappuccinos in the cafeteria and having decided it's worth the price to have a moment to sit down and enjoy the spectacular view. The process of obtaining tickets and entrance a perfect farce.

Florence 19.12.2013: No Matrimoniale! and Porcini Pizza

Duomo Doors, 19 December 2013

In Florence now. We took a train from Bolzano to Bologna yesterday, and then switched to a train to Florence, the latter very well-appointed and brisk-moving, so that we were in Florence in no time at all.

Bolzano 18.12.2013: Last Suppers and Braying Goats

Pass-Through in Medieval Arcade, Bolzano, 16 Dec. 2013

On the train in Bolzano, waiting for it to depart for Bologna, where we'll switch to a train to Florence. We whiled away time this morning going to the cathedral museum in Bolzano, where a very nice docent gave us a guided tour, all in German we both easily understood.