Family in Firenze

It is still somehow amazing to me that you can connect with people from home on the other side of the ocean - to see my aunt's face and open hug-arms running toward me when I walked into their hotel was such a great feeling. The hug and comfort of family. She, Uncle Dave and I spent the whole day in Florence together - we walked everywhere. (And when I say everywhere, I mean from one side of Florence to the other, and back!). After a bit of lunch and catching-up, we walked through the city center, taking in the sites (and shoes & handbags, of course), and across the Ponte Vecchio. This is every woman's dream bridge, lined with gold and magnificent jewelry, and Aunt Sonya was no exception.

We then walked over to the Palazzo Pitti - once the home of the Medici family, and now the museum of their spectacular collection of art. Aunt Sonya was good at reading all of the "red" (read, important), works of art in the guidebooks. She made an excellent tour guide! Next, we strolled over - and hiked up to - Piazzale Michelangelo for the amazing views of Florence.


As we wound our way back to the hotel, we had an amazing dinner a bit off the beaten path, complete with eggplant parmigiana and beer. Salute!
It was hard to say goodbye, but I cannot thank them enough for the food, the gelato, the lovely belt, for bringing neccessities from home, but most of all the good company and great hugs. (Don't worry, dear parents, I sent some extra hugs home to share back in the States!) And, in the famous sing-song of Aunt Sonya..."So long, farewell Auf wiedersehn, good night...!"