The Duomo Climb and great food

Recap: December 29

This a.m. I again took a sleepy Ava into Joe and Claire’s room so I could wander Florence a bit. This time I hiked back up to Michelangelo’s Piazza for a misty morning view of Florence, the Arno, Duomo et al.

En route I passed an older woman with a cart perched on the many steps leading up the hill. She was talking loudly to the 8 cats she was feeding…cans of cat food dumped onto porcelain plates, one for each cat.

I guess everywhere in the world a few old ladies collect a multitude of cats. Let’s hope that never factors into my future.

The view from the piazza was again lovely, and I was the only one there! First for everything.

On the return I stopped for a big, rich, foamy cappuccino at a very hip café. The coffee here and in France is best, I’ve decided. Here they do magical things w/ the foam and in France the espresso is so smooth and rich it doesn’t need milk, it seems. I’ll take either happily.

We then had breakfast in our room – then off to the Duomo again, this time to climb up the 463 steps (I think that’s correct but I must say I didn’t count). The kids did great despite some tight spaces and twists and turns. (Not to mention a lot of legwork.)

At one point our journey opened out just below the paintings inside the dome, which we did our best to absorb. Then we continued our journey upward, eventually spilling out, after scaling what was more like a ladder than steps, onto the top of the cathedral. A lovely, misty above-the-rooftop view.

On the way down we walked around a second viewing “balcony” for an amazing perspective of the marble floor and cathedral environs.

After departing the Duomo we headed back to a café we’d spotted earlier – picturesque little place w/ wooden tables, a big meat and cheese counter, salamis and hams hanging about. It looked delightfully cheery and delicious, was packed when we stopped in for lunch. We joined a few others to wait outside and 10 minutes later were seated.

For lunch we had the house meat and cheese platter w/ olives and we split a mini bottle of chianti (when in Italy…).

The kids were all about their orange fanta, which hovered in a big fluorescent coke machine. We agreed that it was the only thing looming out of place in this quaint, rustic little eatery…just as the flashing red Christmas tree lights around the nativity looked a tad unusual in 14th century Santa Croce…

I must note that India and Italy share some similarities…a little Kmart special mixed in with the historical/classic, emphasis on extended family, men seeming to play a patriarchal role (let’s be real as to who really runs things), fabrics/textiles rein, pride in local specialties, tons of stone/marble in buildings, courtyards abound, gated houses, communities, bike/motorcycle popularity, a bit (understatement of the year) of chaos/disorganization with good sense of humor…

About lunch, though. Our meat and cheese platter came overflowing, with 6 different types of cheese (all fabulous – C & A ate all the buffalo mozzarella), 7 or 8 different meats (parma ham, salamis, all good), foccaccia and a basket of bread and some delicious olives. Oh and toasted bread w/ chicken liver pate which was also quite good.

This meal was served on a lovely ceramic platter…and we were given white plastic plates and cheap plastic cups – cracked me up. Real silverware, though, which came w/ paper napkins, all wrapped in paper bags decorated w/ pictures of smiling utensils.

Definitely our best lunch so far.

While we were there I heard an older Italian gentleman tell the waitress that he makes a point of stopping in for lunch every time he travels to Florence on business from Milan. I can see why.

From there we wandered to the market where the kids were intent on finding a souvenir. Ava opted for a small gold purse that says Ciao Bella Italia, Claire a white leather journal with the symbol of Florence on the front.

We then hit the Accademia, where the David is on display, among other things. And that led us into the evening; we got back to the hotel and relaxed a bit, setting out around 8 for a place around the corner that came recommended. Great wooded interior with high ceiling, lovely old chandelier, red tile floor.

Our waiter was a friendly older man who was in charge of the room, it seemed (the place has 3 or 4 dining areas). I had a delicious vegetable flan dish – one piece cauliflower flavored, one zucchini flavored.

Claire had polenta and parmesan and Ava, pasta and salami. Joe had a delicious soup (I tried it – hearty vegetable) and veal. For dessert the two of us shared the biscotti w/ vin santo (cookie dipped in syrupy dessert wine), kids ordered a piece of chocolate cake that looked out of this world.

We’ve certainly eaten well on this trip. (I have fond memories of Italy 20 years ago, but the restaurant scene is better when you’re not a student opting to save every dime for hostels and train tickets.)