Yesterday was a wonderful, full, magical, terrific day. We started the day with a tour that was truly amazing. Sandro and Ludovica were our tour guides. Sandro is a professional wine taster and Ludovica is an Event Planner. They’ve been doing these tours because they love their city so much, they want to share it with others. Also, they brought their sweet dog, Shyra.

As you know, I am always searching for community, for connection, for people like me, for people like us. Warm, welcoming, loving people. These people are not easy to find, they are the secret gems of the world and when you come across someone like this, you have to savor them and honor them, you have to love them and feel the love, even if it’s for only one day. One meeting. When I find my people, I hold onto them and I never want to let them go. Some of these people I talk to everyday, some every other, some once a year… But I always know that the connection is there, and no matter how much time has passed, it feels like we pick up where we left off. Sandro and Ludovica are these kinds of people. Yesterday, from the first moment that I met them, they were the most welcoming, warm and kind. I would love to be friends with them forever. And maybe I will only know them for one day, and that is OK. When we come back to Florence we can meet up with them again. And you can come to Florence and meet them, too.

Sandro took us on our tour, Ludovica took the other half of the group because they were all French speakers. We went on a whirlwind tour, all over the heart of Florence. Sandro took us to places that we would never, ever have noticed. Not ever. And each place had special meaning to him, to his family, to his childhood, to his grandparents, to the city of Florence. This is the kind of tour that I was hoping for, to learn the secrets only the locals know. For me, I love traveling, but as a tourist, I feel I am always on the outside and I always want to feel like a local. I always want to talk with the people who live in the places that I visit, but more often than not, the people we interact with the most are all in the service industry. They are our servers in restaurants and cafes. Although this can be wonderful, it’s hard to create a meaningful connection this way. Sandro and Ludovica are our kinds of people, also looking for connection and they created the coolest thing, they are creating the connection. I feel inspired! I LOVE connection! How many ways can I create it in Portland?!

I am still digesting all of the things that Sandro and Ludovica shared with us. You will see from the photos, we went everywhere and there are so many stories that go along with each stop we made. We had espresso at a famously Florentine cafe. We had wine (or soda) at a wine shop that Sandro’s father went to everyday. We had ham and fried pizza dough (boys did, I had ham, eggplant and tomatoes). We went to a gorgeous showroom of fine Florentine china, the richest, most fancy dishes. We went to the Officina Profumo - Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, one of the oldest pharmacies in the world, it was established in 1221 by Dominican monks. It smelled gorgeous. The pharmacy was sumptuous, with the furnishings also dating back to the 1200’s. Also, Sandro took us to a jeweler who specializes in miniatures.

By the end of the tour, we felt like old friends and that is my most favorite thing. I will treasure these memories. I am putting this feeling into the tiny, magical glass jar that I wear around my neck, so I can visit it whenever I want.

After the tour, we went home for lunch and a quick power nap. Then we made it to our 4:15 appointment at the Accademia to see Michelangelo’s David. Michelangelo’s David never disappoints, turning the corner and seeing the David at the end of the long corridor is a stunning feeling. It is so much more beautiful in person than you can ever imagine. Even the boys were impressed.

We spent as much time with David as we could before the crowds made us crazy. What do people do with all of the selfies that they take with David? Or the family photos in front of him? It never occurs to Aaron and I to stand in front of works of art and have someone take our photo. Maybe we are the weird ones? Oh, yes. I forgot, we are the weird ones.

Then we went for gelato and I had fig gelato! It was awesome!!! FIG!!!

Side note, (this is a rant, you are warned): I find sightseeing to be exhausting and frustrating. Huge group tours of 50 or so people come into the small rooms, they crowd in front of paintings, they all pull out their cell photos and raise them high, snapping photos with their phones. It is agonizing to watch. Today, a big, tall man stepped right in front of me as I was looking at a painting. A woman behind me grabbed her cell phone and walked her boobs right into my back in order to take a cell phone photo. After being pushed and smushed and stepped in front of, all I want to do is leave and not be around humans for a long time. Also, don’t even get me started on the tour group leaders of these giant groups, talking into the microphone that is connected to the ears of all the people in the group. There is so much disconnect here. The group leader does not have to make eye contact, they just walk and talk and mumble (our tour guide at the Vatican mumbled a lot) into the microphone, there is no humanity there. I much rather either be my own tour guide, or be in a small group. Enough of that!

Tonight we are going to a pizzeria! Gluten free pizza! Our airbnb host made the recommendation and the reservation for us. And tomorrow we have reservations already made as well. With my diet and my rather high expectations, finding a restaurant is a difficult and laborious process. I feel relieved that our next two dinners are planned. More often than not, we find something good, and sometimes we find that magical place with amazing food and sisters who hug and kiss us, that we will remember for a long, long time. La Botticella! We love you!!!

We’ve been hiding out in our apartment this afternoon. We are crowd weary. We went to the Uffizi Gallery today, I will blog about that tonight (or in the morning, mornings seem to be a more creative time for me than right before bed, duh).

I miss you and I love you!

Love, Eden