Gardens and Galileo

Today we stayed south of the Arno River, which runs through the center of Florence. Located on this side of Florence are the Boboli Gardens, a massive public garden that sits behind Pitti Palace. However the formal portion of the gardens are only accessible through the Palace. We had tickets to the Palace and formal gardens for the morning.

Taking advantage of the cooler morning air, we meandered for almost 2 hours in the Boboli Gardens. Climbing hills landscaped with hedges, trees, and stonewalls, we took in various breathtaking views of Florence! Around corners were little hidden grottos with fountains and Roman statues. There was even an ancient obelisk from Egypt. At the top of the highest hill was an old teahouse. Inside was an extensive collection of tea services and miniature statues. A portrait of Napoleon hung in the teahouse because he resided in Pitti Palace for a few years. It was originally the residence of the Dukes of Tuscany for several centuries before Napoleon occupied the house.

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We ate a nice lunch in a little Italian “home-style cooking” café across the street from the palace before reentering to explore the inner rooms. The Palace contained a phenomenal collection of art once owned by the Dukes of Tuscany. The extravagant 18^th century State Royal Apartments were a feast for the eyes! I particularly liked the red/gold throne room and the blue/gold bedroom.

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Our afternoon was spent meandering around the south side of Florence. We eventually made it back to the Ponte Vecchio, a bridge that crosses the Arno River. The bridge is home to several merchant shops and dates to the 16^th century. Cosimo Medici of the renowned Medici family had the bridge built. Over the centuries the Dukes o Tuscany renovated the bridge and it currently can be seen in it’s late 18^th century renovation.

Close by the bridge on the south side, there was a long steep hill. We took our time and climbed to the summit. The street took us through the oldest part of Florence with buildings dating back to the 15^th/16^th centuries. One house at the crest of the hill had a plaque attached that read in Italian “Birthplace of Galileo Galilei.  The home is a historic site, but locals still reside in the building.

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It was hard to say goodbye to Florence, but we drove away in the late evening back to the little town of Impruneta, where we ate dinner in the main square. It was a lovely evening to sit outside and watch life go by in the piazza market.

Of course we had to walk off dinner so we decided to meander around the little market. I purchased a new hat and a lovely enamel red floral ring. Two jovial little old Italian ladies Ms. Sylvania and Ms Ezeta sold me the ring, but not after spending a good amount of time chatting and admiring our family, especially Faywen who’s cheeks they pinched admirably calling her Bella Bella (beautiful).  They even asked me to sing opera for them! Meeting these two typical friendly Italian ladies in the market was a befitting way to end our day!

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