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Following my bliss, sinus infection and all~

4/28/2015

I’m back home from Italy after a week of solitude followed by a week of camaraderie and companionship with family. Both were wonderful, both necessary for balance in life, although the amounts that each of us needs varies. Because I had both solitude and community on this trip, I had a new opportunity to examine the benefits of both, not as separate entities but as companions.

Clearly I need both, but since I’ve always taken my communities for granted, I may have focused my life (and this blog) on solitude, which is harder to obtain. Many of us feel that we have too many people in our lives, so the challenge is to craft out meaningful chunks of time alone. How many? For how long? How to do it? When?

Another topic. I have a sinus infection, which includes headache, dehydration, lack of energy... That’s the downside. After all, who would want to feel rotten? And yet, I am rather enjoying talking naps, sitting in the silence, and have an acceptable excuse not to do much. Um, interesting that I wanted to write this blog. Must be some version of following my bliss.

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Florence through the eyes of others~

4/23/2015

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Posting is a challenge these days. For one thing, I’m with family so there is not much time to write, and certainly not about silence, solitude or simplicity. The internet is very slow in our apartment, so offering a slide show takes more time than I have. What a marvelous experience to see Florence through the eyes of others, particularly my grandchildren. Very grateful.

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Early morning walk in Florence~

4/21/2015

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I’m back in Florence with Tim, Jill, Jemma and Clement. This morning while they caught up on their jet lag, I went out for another of my favorite early morning walks. Sunny, crisp! The garbage was still being picked up and trucks were delivering supplies to the restaurants, the preponderance of which seemed to be bottled water. However, I didn’t photograph any this human activity. No need to dwell on it during my short moment of solitude.

I returned to the apartment a while ago. Everyone is still asleep. Sorry they missed the pristine morning sun but there is always the subdued evening sun to anticipate.

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Colosseum parade

4/19/2015

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We came upon a parade that went fully around the Colosseum today. It appeared that many religious and historical clubs were represented, but I'm just assuming so. A quick check on line gave me no information, so just enjoy as we did.

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Vasari Corridor~

4/17/2015

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Yesterday I took a tour of the Vasari Corridor. The corridor, designed by Vasari, took five months to build, from spring to autumn 1565. It was built for Cosimo I as a private, safe and secret passageway goingfrom the government offices in the Uffizi to his home, a kilometer way, at the Pitti Palace. It was also constructed in honor of the marriage of his son and heir, Francesco to Joanna of Austria.

The corridor walls display paintings and self-portraits of artists through the ages. Looking out offers a unique perspective of the Florence I know. Looking up, I am in awe that there is so much beauty behind those little window, and that there might be people spying on me.

In the Corridor

From the corridor~

From the street~

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Church of San Francesco, Fiesole~

4/16/2015

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One of my favorite day trips from Florence is to Fiesole. Hop on Bus #7 at Piazza San Marco and twenty-five minutes later there you are at the top of the hill overlooking Firenze. The Duomo looms large.

      There is much to see in Fiesole but I usually pass by the Roman forum, the local museums and cathedral, and climb the hill to the Chiesa di San Francesco. I can never resist talking pictures, and of course, blogging about it again.

     On this early spring day, all was silent. I was in solitude, and yet the few visitors who came along offered a comforting sense of community to this miniature monastic complex. After all, those of us who had ventured to this out-of-the-way place must be kindred spirits in some way!

     Every time I climb the stairs to gaze into the fourteenth century monks cells, I picture myself living in one of them. My AR (angel room) at home is not much bigger, but the comparison stops there. These cells are sparse—board for a bed, a desk and chair, Bible and cross. I won’t even begin to describe the AR! I will say, however, that these cells encourage me to simplify, to get rid of things, mainly books that are from another stage of life, books that I will never read again.

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Bardini Gardens in April~

4/14/2015

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You may have noticed that I’ve haven’t been writing much, just posting photographs. Fair enough for a blog about silence, solitude and simplicity. The truth is that I’ve been wandering around Florence living in that state.

There are the noises of tourists and motorcycles and cars (electric in the city center so rather quiet). One of the results of traveling alone, however, is the lack of conversation with a companion and with one’s self. My mind begins to still. Solitude is wherever I chose it. Right now I am writing in the Bardini Gardens. This afternoon after lunch I decided to come here. Walking up the path, I decided to sit down to knit for a while and then to write. As simple as that. Now I’m ready to walk on. I’ll post this back at my apartment. As simple as that.

For your viewing enjoyment: The Bardini Gardens in April.

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Gardens in Florence in the spring~

4/13/2015

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Botanical Garden of the Museum of Natural History

Yesterday I walked twelve miles, resting for a while at the Botanical Garden of the Museum of Natural History of the University of Florence.

Boboli Gardens

Today so far, I’ve walked seven miles, which included these signs of spring at the Boboli Gardens. I took them especially for a few of my garden-loving friends. You might want to compare the same scenes that I took five weeks ago.

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April 12th, 2015

4/12/2015

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I’m full ensconced in Florence. Very grateful! My early (well 7:30) morning walk found me headed to Piazza Michelanglo. Set up for the 20K, half marathon race had been completed, runners were warming up, and by the time I was on my way home, the race had begun. I walked 3.5 miles. Not bad for the start of the day.

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Good karma in Florence~

4/11/2015

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I am back in Florence, same streets, churches, museums, coffee, bruschetta. Same and yet different! This city always holds mysteries and wonder, and good Florence karma for me. This trip I am trying consciously more than ever to be grateful for the good that comes my way. Here are a few karmic gratitudes from the past twenty-four hours.

     Nothing like getting a good night’s sleep on a transatlantic flight! Because the plane was not full, I was able to stretch out across four middle seats and sleep for five hours. I was good to go for the rest of the day--the train to Florence, wandering in the evening and enjoying a good night’s sleep. I am already on Florentine time.

     Nothing like convincing the molte gentile woman at the Amici degli Uffizi office to replace my museum pass. The pass, which I bought in February and which is good for the entire year, gives free, unlimited access to the major museums in Florence. The rule states, however, that a replacement card will not be reissued.

    So in I went, appealing to the mercy of the same woman who sold me the card in 2013, 2014 and 2015. As we talked, I sensed that her mind was going through the pros and cons of giving me a new one, and that my honesty—“I forgot it; I left it at home in Boston”—convinced her to issue me one. Maybe it had to do with Boston karma, BOSTON STRONG!

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In the Corridor

From the corridor~

From the street~

Botanical Garden of the Museum of Natural History

Boboli Gardens

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