Firenze

[day 11 in Italy]

My siblings (Michele, Jerry, Melanie and Erin) ended their trip in Florence where they were flying out from. So we decided to go with them and spend the day before we parted ways. We felt a little intimidated attacking Florence by ourselves with the kids (because I really wanted to go to the Uffizi Art Gallery) so I was grateful that we had some backup to help out. We were able to find free parking by their hotel and took the bus to the city center.

View from Palazzo Michelangelo

Jerry and Melanie

Dave...still haven't seen the real thing in person yet, but I love the fake...

On the bus, Andrew met the nicest Italian who liked us because his son had curly hair like our boys. He showed us pictures of his boy and then offered to take us to the Uffizi since it was on his way. So we followed him around after we got off the bus. These are the times when I wish I spoke Italian! It is fun to see Andrew be able to talk to people and make instant friends but I'm always just waiting to hear a few words I can understand so I can follow along.

We had to stand in line at the Uffizi for a while but it wasn't too bad. I think about 45 minutes. I have heard of people waiting for 4 hours so this seemed like a breeze. Andrew was nice enough to take the boys for a few hours and I took Esme with me. She was squirmy and babbling a ton but everyone was so nice and just adored her. She didn't lack for attention.

This is where the boys played while I was in the Uffizi. They really like those pigeons.

As soon as we got in the Uffizi I felt a little overwhelmed. I was unprepared. I took Art History years ago in college just so I would know more about the art in Europe but I have forgotten so much of it. Michele bought an audioguide so we were able to hear commentaries about some of the major pieces. But there was so much to see! And I knew with Andrew watching the boys outside and Esme squirming in my arms that I didn't have tons of time. But I was able to pace myself a bit and saw everything I was looking forward to seeing. It was very cool. I especially liked the Caravaggios and Rembrandts. The sculpture room was also amazing.

On Ponte Vecchio

Afterward we saw the bridge, Ponte Vecchio. Earlier, before we went to the Uffizi, there was this man who was kind of staring at my kids and he came up to us and offered to take a picture. I don't know why I'm sometimes suspicious of nice people but I said no. Then, hours later, at Ponte Vecchio, we were trying to get a shot with the bridge in the background and the same guy was there (making out with his girlfriend)! He again offered to take a picture and this time we accepted. Then he said that he thought we had the most beautiful kids he had ever seen. He was really just genuinely nice. I felt kind of bad for thinking he was a weirdo before. By the way, Italians are always making out. Everywhere. Always.

Thank you nice stranger for this picture.

After that, we all went out for dinner. The kids were getting pretty tired and unruly at this point. But they held it together long enough for us to eat. Then we went to one of our favorite piazzas, Palazzo Vecchio. We were there at night the last time we were in Florence and even though I haven't spent much time in Florence, it is one of my favorite things to do. Street performers are playing romantic music in the background. There are enormous replicas of famous statues, including the David. I love Florence at night.

We got hot chocolate that is basically a melted chocolate bar and took in the ambiance. About 10 North Africans came by trying to sell us the same cheap child's toy. Then we walked to the Duomo. Something about that dome is ...I don't know what it is. It is imposing and beautiful and the way it stands out against a dark sky makes it seem unreal. I love it. Firenze might be my favorite place in Italy.

Just writing this post makes me want to go back to Florence. I can never get enough. 

Monteriggioni

Monteriggioni is an old fort that used to defend Siena against the Florentines hundreds of years ago. It is not too far of a drive so we went to see it after Andrew got home from work one evening.

It seemed pretty low key but maybe that is because we went in the evening. Inside the fort were a few restaurants and boutiques. There was also a swanky looking hotel which is not what I would expect to find inside a fort.

Luke didn't listen and ran down a steep part of the hill, resulting in these tears.

The views were incredible.

There was a vineyard just outside the fort and nearby was a field with horses which the boys were excited about.

Week 2: Chill Days

Forget about blogging every day. That was an unattainable goal :).





We have realized that there need to be chill days. The kids thrive on it. But Andrew and I also need adventurous days as well. We have had a good mix of both lately. I should point out, in case it isn't very obvious on the blog, that Andrew does work. In fact, this last weekend he just sat at his computer and worked all day. Sometimes even I'm amazed at what we've been able to fit in when he is not working.

Sometimes Andrew is stuck in his room, working...

...while everyone else is hanging out

There is almost always laundry hanging out to dry. I probably should have brought more clothes. We do laundry pretty much every day.

On one of our chill days, Andrew came home early to get some reading/studying done in his room while the rest of us played. It was sunny but not too hot. I can't get over this weather. It just makes a person want to live outside. On this particular day, Cam developed a strange fear of bees. I guess it is not rare for a child to be afraid of bees but this came on rather suddenly. We had the windows and doors open to enjoy the nice weather (no screens in Italy) and a bee had flown in the house. Cam was completely freaked and shut himself in the bathroom and wouldn't come out. I wasn't sure what to do since I didn't have any sort of fly swatter and the bee wasn't flying out on his own. So I told Cam that we should pray for the bee to leave. So Cam said a simply little prayer, and not 10 seconds after he finished the bee flew over our heads and out the door. A Miracle! I told Cam that his prayer was answered. I don't know if he was as amazed as I was. probably just relieved, but he definitely remembered the experience and told his Aunts and Uncles when they came home.





For dinner, we made some pesto, a small caprese salad (just moz and tomatoes actually) and some cheese and crackers. We took it out to a small perch on the hillside (on the huge property here) and had a little picnic. The sun was setting. It was awesome. My brother and sisters were home from sightseeing at that point and it was so cool to have them there. The boys pretended to be airplanes and ran through the olive trees, up and down the hillside. When we originally had the idea to come to Italy with our family, I kept imagining the boys running through the countryside of Tuscany. But I thought that image was probably too idealized and a bit unrealistic. I was wrong. There may be other aspects about this trip that weren't as I imagined, but that part has exceeded all expectations. They run and play, as idyllic as any childhood novel, among olive trees, on a hillside of vibrant greens. If we lived here for the rest of our lives, I wonder if they would ever do anything else.

Another chill day we went outside and made some fairy houses with sticks, flowers and rocks. They weren't quite as amazing as what we came up with at Grandma Stacey's house last summer, but they were fun to make, and promptly destroy. They are boys after all. Esme was with us too, hanging out in the stroller. She is still working on sitting up by herself. She really likes it when I let her scratch at the grass and the dirt. I think she may have a tomboy streak in her. I tried to exercise and run up and down the hill next to our place a few times. But after a couple laps I was done. Still not in good enough shape to run up a hill I guess.

The boys really like the woman who waters the plants and takes care of the property. It think she may live here but I'm not sure. They like to run up to her and say "Ciao" and then run away giggling. They make me go say "Ciao" to her too. This is a little odd because normally my boys are a little more shy around strangers. But it is cute that they are trying to speak Italian and coming out of their shell a little. Luke is more aware that there is a language barrier and sometimes I can tell he is a little nervous that he doesn't speak Italian. But as time goes on, he seems to be less worried about it and it looks like he is a little more comfortable in this country.

a view from one of our favorite walks

Chill days. Love them.

That time we hiked the Cinque Terre with 3 kids...

We honestly never planned on hiking the Cinque Terre with our kids. In fact, we weren't even going to go back there. It was one of my favorite places the first time we came to Italy (I have LOTS of favorites). But we are trying to stick to mostly new places and Cinque seemed difficult to do with kids.

But then some of my family members came. Andrew knew he really only had one day to show them anything because he would be working all the other days. After finding out what they wanted to see and thinking about what would be the most difficult thing to do without an Italian speaker, we decided to take them to the Cinque Terre. I am so glad we did.

We got a little bit of a late start but it was only a 2 hour drive to La Spezia. However, on the drive there I quickly realized that I had done a poor job of packing for the day. I forgot to refill Esme's formula container (I've given up trying to breastfeed her but still pump a little). So I only had enough formula for 3 bottles. I also forgot jackets for the boys for when it cooled off in the evening. I seriously must have completely lost my mind because I had thought of both of these particular things extensively as I was packing and somehow I still managed to get in the car without them. There were a few other little details that I had missed. The formula made me the most nervous because I am almost positive I wouldn't be able to find any in the Cinque Terre. I used to think bottle feeding was so much easier than breast feeding but I was SO wrong. I digress.

When we got to La Spezia, the gps took us to the train station but it was not the train station we wanted. However, we found amazing free parking spots right next to the "wrong" station so we hopped on there and took the train to the right one. Catching this train involved a lot of frantic running to get on before the doors closed. I was so glad that we had a lot of adults around to help with the kids. It honestly would not have been possible without them.

It ended up that going to the wrong station worked out perfectly and we made it to the main La Spezia station in time to catch the train we needed.

They loved the train ride. Except they were expecting a subway for some reason and were upset that we weren't underground. Luckily we went under some long tunnels and they were satisfied in the end.

We started out in Riomaggiore.

We have a watercolor of this picture that we bought the last time we came to Cinque Terre. 

A stairway off a very narrow alley. Whenever the boys get into an argument, I make them sit on a step in our house and work it out. Then they have to hug. So I have seen this scene many times.

After taking a few pictures, we went to catch the train to Manorola but found out that we had just missed it and there wouldn't be another one for at least an hour. Since we had gotten a late start, we worried we wouldn't get a chance to really show them the best part of the Cinque Terre. There was only one option and it definitely wasn't one we had planned on. We decided to do the same hike that we did as a couple a few years ago and hike over the hill to Manorola. This was kind of exciting because it is a beautiful hike. But it was also a little terrifying because our kids were with us. Luke and Cam are great boys with lots of energy, but late in the afternoon I was afraid they would tire out quickly, start whining, and want to be carried a lot. I had Esme in the baby carrier and I was worried that I had dressed her too warmly in her footie pjs, plus we didn't have much milk for her.

My brother Jerry became Luke's best buddy which made Luke indescribably happy

Miraculously it turned out great. The boys had more energy than any of the adults and hiked like champs. They only needed to be carried a little bit. Plus, they absolutely loved it. No whining. No complaining. They loved "climbing the mountain". Esme didn't love it quite as much but the milk situation turned out fine and carrying her wasn't as difficult as I anticipated.

Boys pretend their water bottles are cars while the rest of us take a short break

As I was hiking I kept thinking of how surreal it was to be sharing something I enjoyed so much with my kids. It was so fun to see them love it too. Of course they don't quite understand what a rare opportunity it is, but hopefully it will be memorable for them.

The boys adore their sister

Hiking down into Manorola

Every year, a local artisan creates a "Way of the Cross" for Easter. If you look closely you can see the figurines carrying the cross up the mountain. You can also see a nativity scene. 

Waiting for train to Vernazza (my sister Erin)

We didn't stay long in Manorola. Just long enough to get some gelato. Then we took the train to Vernazza just in time for sunset. Veranzza is one of my favorites because you can get down right next to the water and I love the boats along the dock. The town itself is charming although a few years back it suffered a mudslide and you can still see the damage left behind on some of the buildings. It gives it character.

Luke with Aunt Michele

Andrew, Luke, Cam, my brother Jerry, his wife Melanie, Esme, me, my sister Michele, my sister Erin

After the sun set we caught the last train of the night back to our original train station. It was a long day. And I can't believe how happy the kids were considering we really didn't eat much,were probably dehydrated, and forgot jackets. A little miracle. They fell asleep the instant the car started.