Love Locks

On many bridges in Italy, you’ll see locks…many locks. In fact so many that time to time the local authorities have to cut them off. In Paris, removed locks amounted to around 45 tons worth, accumulated over many years. Here in Florence, not so heavy…maybe the French have more lovers? They’re put there by people who profess their love via a padlock attached to the bridge, throwing the key into the river. From time to time they go in with it but that’s another story!

Here’s is this one:

Love Locks

Locked together, a testament, a couple’s love forever spent.

Into the river their keys went, while time leaves behind their monument

to rust away and break the chain of some who lost while some remain.

Ralph Espina

Follow me this summer on my return to Firenze,Italia to continue my book

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Art in the Heart

If art isn’t in your blood when you visit Florence,Italy, it will be racing through your veins by the time you leave. You’ll find it everywhere you go from on its streets right down to on your table with the foods presented to you.

Art is in the air and that’s what makes this city so inspiring for your soul.

It brings out an appreciation of beautiful things big and small. Just taking a casual walk will make you understand what “La Dolce Vita” really means.

More on my book project in Florence,Italy

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If you want to visit the museums the best way is with the Firenze Card.

 

Prosciutto

Prosciutto has to be the national meat of Italy…at least to me. Who hasn’t had a thin slice over a cold wedge of cantaloupe, not to mention with tomato and mozzarella? Hopefully not you but if so what are you waiting for!

So what is Prosciutto? It’s an air dried,cured salted ham, talking anywhere from 9-24 months to cure. Various regions in Italy produce it and each does it a little differently, according to taste. Less slat, sweeter ham. There are two types of processing, Crudo or Cotto which means dried or cooked. Crudo is the preferred and Italian Prosciutto especially the one from Parma is strictly regulated…and savored.

This man sells many pork items, but Prosciutto is his specialty and his place sits on a corner aisle at the Mercato in Florence, where he is happy to let you taste but not happy to have his picture taken. When I see him again on my trip this summer, perhaps I’ll get him to smile!

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A World of Coffee

If it weren’t for the jitters, you could spend 24 hours a day having a caffe and hardly never having the same one twice. The art of making a cup is more than the flavor.Each barrister has their own fluid style and rhythm with each cup they create.

In Italy, as in most of Europe, a cup is priced ( apart for the type of coffee )  by where you drink it. Top price is sitting outside at a table on a great day, another sitting inside, and the best and cheapest is standing at the bar, where the coffee making show goes on. There you can chat with the barman, lean with the locals and feel like the peeps.

If you go often enough to the same place, they get to know you and once in while slide you something really good to taste extra accompanied with a “Prego”…

I can’t wait to return!

More on my book project in Florence,Italy

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Tasting Italy

How can you resist a work of art on your plate? Masterful in presentation as well as in your mouth, it expresses a pride of work and a joy in doing it even though this cost around 4 Euros!

If only this post had a scratch and taste, I could really convey the simple experience of flavor in an every day, “let’s stop for a snack” This is one of the best reasons I have for returning there…and believe it or not, we had this at the train station.

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6 Weeks to Florence,Italy

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Florence has its open food market, the Centrale Mercato. Each stall  have their own specialty from nuts to elaborate meats.

Upstairs is where they all culminate in their version of a food court. Here you can eat cheap and good,drink as well.

 

 

 

I was in the mood for pasta so I saw this sign..

 

The chef whipped it up for me..Prego

 

It was light and excellent….  FYI I found out the translation..” Cow Stomach Ravioli in a Parsley,Basil sauce”.   MOOOOO…

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