Just some pretty photos

I love to travel. It is not always easy, especially not with little ones in tow, it can be expensive, and logistics can challenge, but I find it so, so worth it. We've gotten some really great photos so far; truly it would be our fault if we hadn't as the scenery here just begs to be snapped from every angle and multiple times. Here are a few highlights...

Pisa

La Scuola del Cuoio

Fabulous night

Well that was one of the most fun, rejuvenative nights we've had in a while! In Florence, there is a renowned restaurant, Cibreo, founded and headed by Fabio Picchi, an irrepressible lion of a man who resembles Michelangelo's God in the Sistine Chapel. There is also Cibreo trattoria, and then there is Teatro del Sale, a seriously good dinner theater. Housed in a marvelous, cavernous building with high arched ceilings and columns, you serve yourself acqua frizzante and good red wine from a tap, bus your own dishes, make your own espresso and in return are served an incredibly delicious many course meal and then watch a terrific after-dinner show- for 35€. Such a deal and such fun. Tom, Dad and I ate until we might burst and loved Le Cinque Donne, the 5 Women, a wonderfully spirited a capella group. Look at this paccheri, these clams, the size of this pan!

Firenze Friday

I just couldn't get over how gorgeous my sister looked in the dresses she tried on today. The second shop was particularly special as the proprietress makes every gown by hand, and her daughters do the bead work. Theirs is the kind of craftsmanship one is hard-pressed to find in the States these days; perhaps that's one reason I like the farmers markets...because people are still selling the fruits of their own labor. Anyway, it has been a while since just Mom, El and I spent a day like this, and it was great. The man from whom we bought the daffodils was a dear as well, 84 years young. He asked why on earth we were taking a photo with him, but I think he was secretly pleased.

In the same square, Santo Spirito, I found these pepperoncino and squash too. Beautiful!

And just look at this Santa Fe'esque church. Gorgeous.