Pistoia to Florence

We had enough time to visit the Ospedale del Ceppo with its glorious glazed terra-cotta frieze. Ira and I both thought it was by della Robbia, but it was done by a contemporary Santi Buglioni. The Wikipedia has an interesting tidbit about how Buglioni learned of the glazing secrets of della Robbia after DR went to France to escape the plaque. It seems a "woman" was involved. Sounds like a great story to follow up on. Thanks knowledgeable Wikipedia editor!

. And ceppo means tree trunk, which is apparently where offerings for the hospital were left. Another fascinating tale, though this time from another source, Michelin.

We didn't have time for the underground tour of Pistoia, but that sounds like a must for next time in Tuscany. Apparently, you can travel under most of the city, seeing medieval and Roman ruins. I wish we'd have more time!

We had to drive into Florence and be at Don and Alexa's house by noon however. We took the national route and made it all the way into the centro in good time and without any mistakes. We even found a parking spot right in front of their door. (Think impossibly narrow cobble-stoned alley in impossibly trafficked touristy neighborhood right by the train station to get an idea of how lucky we were. We unloaded the bags, returned the car, and had time for luck at my favorite restaurant in the world, Sostanza, nicknamed Il Troia (The Trough) because of its communal tables. Don and Alexa live two doors up from here, so we always get treated like locals (including getting a real doggy bag for Lucy, the best dog in Florence!) I had the finocchiana, a fennel sausage that is moist and flavorful. Ira then had the tortellini al burro, which they buy just around the corner. Just simple pasta, but so flavorful. Then, I had the tortino al carciofi, basically an artichoke omelet, also swimming in butter. Not a good place for cholesterol. We finished the meal by sharing the meringue, a wonderful confection of thin meringue, whipped cream, and fraises de bois. Incredible. We hope to get in tomorrow. It's a popular place with both Italian businesspeople and tourists.

Next up was a two-minute walk to Basilica Santa Maria Novella. It's famous for its Masaccio crucifixion, it's Ghirlandaio frescoes and stained glass, and it's Filippino Lippi frescoes. I'm not going to link all those nouns. Look 'em up yourself. The Masaccio is brilliant, early perspective done in this odd but compelling pink color. One of its innovations is to have God, the Father, in a crucifixion scene, almost unheard of. And what a God he is, seeming to hold up the arms of the cross both as a stern father who is making sure his son goes through with the torment, and as a comfort, supporting his son in his final agony. There is something about the psychology of this painting that makes me think in modern terms, even if my interpretation is unorthodox or just wrong. The fresco cycles in the Strozzi chapel and the main altar are extraordinary as well. The colors are fresh as new paint, and Lippi's modeling makes the figures stand out from the wall. They're strangely modern, almost pre-Raphaelite. If you're in Florence, don't miss this church. Just the dimensions are perfect.

There's going to be a big gelato festival in town starting tomorrow. (Ira swears it's a coincidence.) They were setting up booths in various piazzae around town. We had a drink in Piazza Repubblica, then came home to meet Valentina, and move into her place while she's in Rome. (We're meeting her and Rosaria there on Thursday.) Tonight was dinner with Don and Alexa. The food was wonderful, but the company overshadowed what we ate. What a great night of conversation with old friends. The best reason to travel!