I am certain we got our 10K steps in today. Started out with coffee and a threat of rain. In fact it was starting to drizzle as we walked to Santa Croce. Instead of audio guides you rent an iPad mini with ear plugs as a guide.The first part of the tour takes you around the tombs–Dante, Galileo, Medici and more. The second part explains many of the little chapels and the amazingly intricate, inlaid wood, ceiling. Much of the main altar has been gloriously restored through the patronage of a wealthy Japanese business man. The stained glass windows are so vivid. The most moving part to me was Donatello’s Christ which they said has a mechanism to move the arms so they can take it down once a year, on Good Friday. We both were really taken with the Pazzi Chapel, designed by Brunelleschi to exacting mathematical ratios, with the beautiful della Robbia ceramic depictions of the apostles circling the upper walls.
By the time we finished it had stopped raining so we went back to the Tim store and now I have internet on my phone.
We stopped at our corner bakery and got a bit for lunch and bought a bottle of wine to take to Elio’s parents.
In the afternoon we just took a walk over to the Oltrarno. I love looking back at the city from over there:

We came back to the apartment and got ready for Elio to pick us up at Piazza Beccaria. We drove up to Fiesole. What a hassle for him finding a parking space and driving on those tiny streets! But we were able to get out of the car an walk around, up to the Franciscan monastery and enjoy the views of Firenze from way up there.


We saw the little rooms where to monks used to stay and the small colorful garden they maintain now.
I took this picture in the town–old and new:

Finally, after a beautiful drive through the back roads, we got to Nadia and Loris’ apartment. They had really gone “all out” for us. We ate and ate and drank plenty.
We both feel like they would be our friends if they lived in Tallahassee. Kenny and Nadia laughed together so much, even though I’m pretty sure they weren’t communicating verbally. It was such a satisfying evening on so many levels.