A few snapshots

This is the view from my bedroom

Here's our kitchen, and yes, our washing machine is below the stove.

The window in our kitchen that looks out on the patio.

Santa Croce Basilica. Where tonight we sat and ate gelato in the courtyard.

Sunset view from the Ponte Vecchio.

One of the most beautiful grave stones at the cemetery we visited today.

It's so beautiful here. I'm so amazed by the architecture, the cobblestone streets, and the beautiful statues that adorn the city. I'm so glad to be here.

Hello Florence!

I made it!

All my flights were timely, my luggage didn't get lost, I didn't have any long layovers, and I was able to get a taxi to my apartment once I got into Florence. I got in around 6:00 pm (Wednesday), so Tyler (my roommate) and I went out and got pizza at a little shop, it was wonderful! After dinner we got some of the best pistachio gelato I've ever had.... I'm so excited to try more. We wandered around the city for a while and got to see the statue of the Wild Boar in one of the markets (there's a copy of this statue back on the Plaza in Kansas City), a classical guitarist playing for tips, a gay rights gathering on the Ponte Vecchio (the oldest bridge in Florence), and the outside of the Duomo. The City is amazing and has a really beautiful energy to it. I think I'm going to like it here.

My apartment is small, but clean and nice. we have a terrace that we sat out on last night, where I found a few pots of neglected plants, one of which just might be salvageable, a little Jade plant, so we'll see about that.... our kitchen is stocked with dishes and we went to the store today to get some food on the shelves. Tonight we cooked some pasta and had toasted bread with fresh mozzarella, tomato, and basil. I'm so happy. We ate out on our terrace and after dinner we walked around town some more trying to catch a glimpse of the Patti Smith concert going on in the courtyard in front of Santa Croce Basilica. All in all, a pretty nice evening.

I'll take some pictures and post them soon.

The Countdown

26 days left...

I'm moving to Florence, Italy in the early part of September and I'm hoping this blog can be a vehicle to document and share my experience. I would love to hear your feedback, personal anecdotes, and any advice you have to share about the places I'm going or the places that I simply must see. I'm terribly excited for this experience and feel so lucky to have this beautiful opportunity. I'll do my best to post regular updates, I hope you enjoy reading about my travels.