It's Over

Back home at last.

Aug 13th - Back in the USA, but First Paris Once More

We had a 9 hr layover in CDG, which allowed for one more impromptu visit to Paris.

"Strike a Parisian pose" yielded this photo on the Seine 

Saint Michel with flaming sword (+5 str, +5 dex) killing demons and dragons and what have you.

Food of Italy

This may be the real reason to go to Italy.

"Drunken spaghetti" - pasta cooked in red wine with garlic and basil.  From Osteria dei Benci.

"Pizza Margherita" in Santo Spirito

Tiramisu in some cafe

From the Montalbano terracde - stewed tomatoes. (What real tomatoes look/tasted like)

 

Also from Montalbano - Frittata

Pasta in Santo Spirito with Nippoziano Chianti Classico 2004 

Art of Florence

Florence is a place that has so many great Italian Renaissance painters that you will become numb to any more Titians, Rafaels, Michaelangelos, Rosas, Boticelli, and so ons.  Here's some famous art. 

You've seen him grey-scale, now see him in fabulous technicolor!

The Rape of the Sabines statue. The balance, the technique, the dynamics are some of the reasons to love this statue.

Duomo Tower

Here are some photos we took at the top of the Duomo tower.  No explanation needed, really.  This is one spot that will make you fall in love with Florence.

Duomo (convex view) synagogue in the distance (green copper dome)

Andrew, Jackelyn, Sunshine

Medici Chapel

Not a synagogue despite the Magen David

Check out my new sandals

Florence Churches

Didn't want to blog over Shabbas, but here are the pictures (we were allowed to take) of churches we saw in Florence.  Particularly:

Il Duomo (convex view)

Il Duomo (concave view)

Door to the Baptisterie

Melty faced lion outside of San Lorenzo (maybe?)

Inside of Santa Maria Maggiore

There were more churches we weren't allowed to take pictures inside of, and perhaps the most fantastic synagogue in the world we went to Friday night.  This is just a taste.

August 8th- Monaciano

Here are photos of the Monaciano mansion.  Bruno and Celeste gave us a nice tour.  The place is full of family history and is as well maintained as a museum.

This is the piano room.  Rev Levy and his family took the tour with us.

This is the master bedroom.

This is the adjoining sitting room that bridges the wife's quarters to the husband's quarters.

This is the view from the master bedroom window into the gardens.

This is the incredible staircase.  The steps are made of marble which inter-lock to not need any additional supports underneath.

This is the courtyard with a well.  It was very deep.

We are walking through the gardens.

View of the Monaciano mansion from the gardens.

The most beautiful pool next to the "chicken house" which is now a bath house.

Pool of travertine stone surrounded by Tuscan vistas.  The water is salty instead of chlorinated.

The chicken coop.