5{nt I cannot recall the words useful to describe how I am feeling. I have 3 days left in the city that I have befriended and accepted and am leaving with a wonderful taste in my mouth. Unfortunately I will not have access to the internet again before I leave, so I will only say that I remember every minute of every day that I have been here. I have explored a million corners and left nothing unturned. Florence, for some reason, is letting me leave with a bang however. I'll say it's stress. It's a squeeze. Florence doesn't want to [View Full Entry]

---

---

ELBA-The Island like Paradise a hop away from home. June 27-28 The boat ride to Isola d’Elba is only an hour from Piombino and it is clear just be observing the clear, rich blue water below that Elba is no Viareggio. I heard from Florentines that Isola d’Elba was a treasure, not only historically, but aesthetically. As the myth has it, Jason stopped at Porto Argo (Portoferraio) on his adventure for the golden fleece. The island also contains several Etruscan archaeological sites as well as the fortress built by Cosimo I de’Medici in the sixteenth century and trace [View Full Entry]

---

---

Viareggio became a new adventure with a true companion by my side. For two people normally extraordinarily unlucky together (always missing buses, late, loosing things, strange circumstances), our two days reserved for US were perfect. Our tiny hotel next to the huge, evergreen park, was also only a stone’s throw away from the beach. We didn’t let our experience with the reception cloud our expectations. At the desk we were greeted by who we assumed was the owner’s mother (covering for her son who was NEVER at the desk, and who was shaving and thus indisposed when [View Full Entry]

---

---

June 17, 2005 The other roots… No photos this time, as I've given my photo to Klajd who this weekend will be working, serving guests in the house of Ferragamo. I am hoping not that he can take pictures of the famous abidings of the shoe designer but of the party itself. I'm curious after all! The company for whom he works is the best in Florence, and this catering company (cooking, serving, set-up, dismantling, barmen, etc) is most popular for matrimonial dinners, senators and high-end Italians in the area like Armani and Ferragamo. Klajd has travelled as far as [View Full Entry]

---

---

Meeting the first of the Roman grandchildren: (For my food lovers, I haven’t forgotten you. My Zia, by the way, will whip up a pot roast with a rich tomato/olive sauce/sugo, or an creamy asparagus risotto within minutes. We have fresh strawberries and melon for dessert, and Alessia and Roberto bring profiterol which are puff pastries filled with a light cream and then topped with a ganash, a rich, fondente chocolate ganash!!) This weekend I visited my Roman aunt and uncle, and was the first of our American relatives to greet baby Olivia. She is a sweet pea, quiet, recep [View Full Entry]

---

---

Last semester we enjoyed the vivacious teaching of Grazia, and 4 months later we have ended up on different paths, in different classes even. It was time to get together, and I organized with Grazia a dinner under the stars. She graciously hosted, to the brim with energy and a wide, sincere smile as usual. Our crew of Japanese, Chinese (Bonnie) and American (me) was added with a Spaniard and Swede. Massimo, the owner of a long-time Florentine resturant, accompanied Bonnie, Akio our Japanese opera singer accompanied Ayako, and Klajd accompanied me. Grazia's two children graced our presence, [View Full Entry]

---

---

American Indecency: I am often offended to be called an American, because I often here it in reference to the mess that young American college students make on their semester-abroad. “Look at their stupidity. Those are your people,” as they drunkenly yell and sing walking home from the bar, vomiting in the streets and kicking and throwing empty beer bottles at trash cans, or even up at windows. I’ve never seen Italians do this, even in their most intoxicated states. I flinch when I see American girls dressed Italian style (minimalist clothing) and asking for directio [View Full Entry]

---

---

Ruralia- Festival of Rural Life, Pratolino In the tiny town of Pratolino, northwest of Florence, and a 30 minute bus ride with the 25 bus from San Marco, are hills that bring me closer to the sun than I’ve been in a while. I smell manure and hear the mewing of bulls, the harsh call of the roosters down the hill and in my periphery, a red kite high in the sky. I am on the grounds of the Villa Demidoff. The festival consists of fishers, farmers, hunters, environmentalists, breeders and representatives from various societies all connected to the land and [View Full Entry]

---

---

Saturday, May 28th URBINO 7:30am Piazza Adua Un Professore di storia dell’arte (Leoncini), una professoressa e noi in 9. We are in small bus, and begin our 3 hour viaggio to Urbino, in Marche. After the first hump, crawling in and through and around the Apenines, we then reach another set of roads…that are an endless snake curving this way and that…and I must close my eyes for the next hour to avoid the sickness that these roads are famed to produce…I concentrate on anything to force my mind away from the visions of this rollercoaster ride. Urbino [View Full Entry]

---

---

Friday, May 27 2005 9:15am school This morning we were in 5 at school, being a Friday morning as usual. We went over the previous night’s exercises as usual. I had opened the windows and the sparrows were quarreling, the morning light warm and hinting at the day’s heat. Our school at Villa della Quiet is closing here, and translocating to the center of Florence-Piazza Savaronola. They’ve already dismantled our desks and chairs, and have given us substitute mini chairs instead. The mood is different this morning, and during our ritual homework correction which [View Full Entry]

---

---