Domo/ Arno/ Pitti

Domo
I decided I had enough with Churches one more splendid palace and I would faint from over stimulation.  Well I didn't, faint that is.  I went out yesterday to just walk in the torrential rain just to get a idea of what everyone says is an easy city to navigate (possibly true if you had a boat). I had tea at the Savoy and watched people try to get their upturned umbrellas back to the 

turned down positio

n so necessary to keep them dry. It was just to windy to keep an umbrella open correctly. Some gave up and walked around with umbrellas that exposed the spine.  I lingered over tea for as long as I could and then ventured out, my choices were to walk in the rain or go into the stores or into the churches. Decision made - the dollar being $1.30 to the Euro was enough to keep me out of the stores.  Walk in the rain? No. Church? God, yes.  I went into the Domo.  As I write this I'm trying to remember what it looks like - my mind is blending all the churches into one.  Thank god I take pictures.  I have to stop here and tell you I never say "thank god" or "God, yes" or any phrases that have to do with "god".  Since I been in Italy I've used the word "god" all the time. Talk about the (big) power of suggestion.

Pitti Palace (it's a pity it's not mine)

I decided to go to the Pitti Palace - it's where the royality lived.  Life as it was all those years ago along with th

e amazing collection of art. With all the art they collected it surprising there ws enough room for them.  In most of these places you can't take pictures.  They say it's to presere the art.  I say it to sell the books, posters and such that happens to in every church and museum, let's face it if the work has not been destroyed with candle fumes, fireplaces or pollution or any other abuse it's had to face over the hundreds of years photo's sans flash couldn't be that big a problem.  I'm open to be educated on this subject.

I was asked very nicely to not take photo's in the Palace - there were no signs so I didn't know, but I guess I should have since it's pretty much the rule for the museums.  Anyway the walls are all covered with art, top to bottom. Who are all these people? 

Walking along the Arno River I'm again amazed at how beautiful this city is.  You can easily bring yourself to the time when Florence flourished with trade and art.  There are few contrast in architeture, in fact I can't say I've seen any modern buildings as of yet.  

Let's talk about the real stuff the sorbet - I'm completely stuck on lemon and rasberry.  The chocolate (candy not ice cream) with hazlenuts or almonds is sold like they use to sell tea - slabs. I've resisited so far but that's coming to an end today.  At the rate I'm going - eating bread at almost every meal, pasta (not at every meal), gelatto, cold cuts ( yes they serve ham and cheese for breakfast and I eat both -mind you I never eat meat - well that's gone out the window with a ton of other things). Anyway at the rate I'm eating Florientine food I will arrive home looking like a meat ball. I'm off in two day to the Tuscany countryside and will probably eat more bread and pasta.