Ultimi giorni

The last days in Florence have meant taking a last dance through our kitchen,

one last taste of Bufala mozzarella with prosecco,



last rides down our elevator,





 

and the last times spent at special places that we love in this city.

 



We took one more trip up to Piazzale Michelangelo...





where we can see views of our favorite city sights,





like the Arno, the Duomo...

 


and the Ponte Vechio.





We took our last trip on Sunday to St James Episcopal church...

and returned the rest of our books and movies to their Children's Lending Library.





We spent a last afternoon at Mamas Bakery,









stood in awe of one more pair of huge doors,





and had a last chance at a cooking class,




where we ate what we cooked!

 

We took a last walk down our favorite neighborhood street,





and watched the Birth of Venus emerge from there one last time.



 



We spent a week with a last group of dear friends who came to visit us in Florence, the Brennan family: Kathy and Leo,




and their children, Anya, Maureen and Patrick,

 

It has been wonderful to share a place that we love with people that we love,



and watch them fall for Florence themselves.



We picked up the Brennans in Pisa with bicycles and delivered them to the train station there (an insider's travel tip not found in Rick Steve's books!),



where we attracted interested tourists willing to pay the enterprising Leo and Joe for a ride through the streets of Pisa!






We saw a last outdoor concert in The Piazza della Signoria...

 




and one last medieval procession through the streets of Lucca,

 

making our last days in Florence some of our best days yet.