Sandy Supposes....

Feasting on/in Florence

Prompt : August 10th, Ciao Italy ! Certaldo in Tuscany . ....pasta, sculptures, gardens, Horseback riding . ...          

Ciao /hello Italy. Ah , more of the Romance languages , so smooth, sultry , and seductive . Whisper sweet nothings In my ear , it all sounds divine .

          Lyn's a Witchy Woman , you have out done yourself, yet again. The Bassetto Guesthouse is wonderful, the nearby rolling hills are so serene and lovely . Yes, I can envision this converted Monastery housing chanting Benedictine monks . The dorm - style rooms make for new friendships , and the beds are comodo /comfy. So, we are abiding a while in the belly button of Tuscany, far more appealing than the armpit. I have learned that Certaldo is a medieval town with an upper town, Alto , and a lower town, Basso . Ah, now I understand the connection ; birthplace of Florence Nightingale , province of Florence. The Italians certainly are correct, 'bella vita ', the good or beautiful life.

         I loved the fresh pasta making class! The end product is so worth it. Pasta has to be my most favourite food. Now I know what we all look like with white hair, flour is so fine. We gave our generous instructor a rowsing, powdery round of applause.

          Our next tour of the day for our eyes and soul , the Basilica of Santa Croce . This Santa is a saint, although St. Nick is awesome, too. This wondrous edifice is the principal Franciscan church in Florence , and the largest Franciscan church in the world. Yep, it boasts sixteen chapels. It is also known as The Temple of the Italian Glories because it is the revered burial site of several great artists : Michelangelo , Galileo , Machiavelli , Foscolo, Gentile , and Rossini . I could not resist purchasing a quality leather purse handcrafted at the scuola del cuoio , or school of leather .

         My senses were treated to a stroll through the Academia Gallery Museum. The white marble sculpture of David is breathtaking . I found the history of musical instruments fascinating, too. Sigh, I still harbour a desire to learn to play the piano.....some day.

          My stimulated senses were on overload with our jaunt to the Boboli Gardens. They were exquisite . This is a large park situated near a hill, and designed to showcase the incredible views in a panorama of amazing scenery . The many sculptures and fountains of Giardino du Boboli were gorgeous . The Fountain of Neptune, or The Fountain of the Fork, was indescribable . The skill and artistry is mind-blowing. This lush garden does not have a natural water source. Ingenious designers built a conduit that brings in water from the Arno River . What a tribute to the vast capabilities of the human race.

         I especially like the bright flowers/fiori my eyes are drawn to admire . The locals are so friendly and cheerful , buon giorno or ciao with a quick smile. The inviting landscape is reflected in their openness .

          All day, I anticipated our evening horseback ride and picnic. In my imagination , I was a cavaliere/knight mounted on my trusty steed. I'm grateful that I did not have to struggle into heavy, clanking armour . I am not a weight lifter by any means . I bobbed and bounced , jiggled and jostled along. I was under no illusion that I was the mistress/master; my beast had but one speed, steady . He ambled, slowly and surely. Obviously, he knew the route and what to expect. All I had to do was cling. I was just along for the ride. Sometimes, I could swear my cavallo /horse rolled his big brown eyes , and snickered.

          Mange, mange I did. Formaggio, pane ,la frutta , and el vino are delicious eaten near an olive grove. I discovered my horse had an excellent palate , he too liked a sip of wine . Actually he was most persistent , nudging my hand, and sticking out his tongue. Afterwards, his gain didn't seem affected , no extra weeble or wobble . He was impressively sure-footed. I stumbled a bit.

          Wow, the sunset was spectacular as promised. The brilliant blue bowed to electric yellows, oranges, and pinks. The colour parade was smeared and suspended far above the hill we'd climbed. Buona notte .