Buon Anno

Happy New Year from Florence!



We celebrated the coming of 2011 by walking through the streets of our neighborhood to Piazza Della Signoria for a live performance by the Florence Orchestra.



We often hear classical music when we walk through Florence. From outside small recital halls and inside large churches, even from street corners, we hear beautiful music, sung and played by trained musicians. (Here, the musicians play among the sculptures of the Loggia, and the random whistles of fireworks and blasts of cherry bombs!)



We were back in Rome for the weekend of Epiphany, and discovered St Peter's square full of visitors.




Guests had arrived from the Philippines to visit the Christ child,



the Pope was outside of his papal apartment, extending blessings in every language,

while medieval knights raised flags and led a colorful procession down the streets of Rome.

This New Year, Sophia and Josephine earned their Italian drivers liscences,

and will join their cousin, Luca, and other, Italian drivers on the autostrada this Spring.

 



This New Year, we've skated a bit,

 


















and taught cousin Eva to skate a bit.




We've vistted the leather factory in Florence,

 


and learned how to make pretty handbags like this.



We've helped Joe celebrate another year of life, and remember that last year, Joe wished for a year full of adventure in a land far away from home...




 Which makes us wonder what Joe wished for this year.....?

Buon Anno! May all of your wishes for the New Year come true!!