Their First Full Day

Day 2 in Florence arrived, and my parents decided they wanted to see the Ponte Vecchio. So we walked down Via Tournabuoni, the Rodeo Drive of Florence, to get there, looking in the windows of many posh shops on the way. Instead of going directly to the Ponte Vecchio, we crossed over the Ponte Santa Trinita (Holy Trinity Bridge), the beloved Florentine bridge based on a design by Michelangelo. In fact, this bridge is so beloved that the Florentines were heartbroken when the Nazis destroyed in during World War II. Rather than simply rebuilding the bridge, the citizens of Florence actually dredge the Arno River and rebuilt the bridge using all of the original pieces. Even the four statues that frame the bridge (the Four Seasons) have been constructed using the pieces of the originals. Interestly, one of the statues remained headless for years because the original head could not be found. Evidently someone had carried the head off years before, and it had been put in storage and forgotten. Later, when it was found again, it was returned and proudly placed on the headless statue, making all four complete. (It's said that the eyes of these statues appear to follow boats as they float down the river.) Walking across the bridge and knowing this story is fascinating as you can actually see the seams where the pieces of the bridge and statues were put together.

After crossing the bridge, we went in search of Santa Spirito but ended up a little too far east. But this turned out to be no problem as, instead, we discovered the beautiful Church of Santa Maria del Carmine. From the front of the church, which is unfinished stone, you'd never guess what wonders await inside. This church was founded by Carmelite monks in the 13th century, and it was completed in 1476. Not much has changed since that time, which makes this church so special. We stayed inside, enjoying the serenity, until the priest made us leave because he was closing the church up. It was probably time for his lunch!

Well, it was time for our lunch too, so we walked through the twisting Medieval streets of the Santa Spirito neighborhood until we reached the Ponte Vecchio area. I knew exactly where I wanted to take my parents for lunch -- that restaurant with the curious name, the Golden View Open Bar. What a perfect choice this turned out to be!

My parents' first lunch in Florence was a lovely window table overlooking the Arno and Ponte Vecchio on a beautiful springlike day. Flower boxes filled with red and white flowers graced the window, and we delighted in seeing rowers pass by below us periodically. The restaurant also serves as a gallery for a talented artist, Mladen Karan. So in addition to the stunning views out our window, we were surrounded with beautiful oil paintings of the Tuscan countryside. (My dad even wanted to buy one until he found out that the least expensive one was 1000 euro!).

Anyway, it was a magical lunch, and we lingered for a long time. I'm not sure about the "open bar" part, but the views were indeed golden!

Now it was time to cross over the Ponte Vecchio. As we began our walk over, I told my parents to stop in the middle of the street so that I could take their picture. They were puzzled? Why in the world would I want their picture in the middle of a street. Well, it all made sense once I explained that they were actually on the Ponte Vecchio, with the Arno passing right below their feet. You see, it's hard to tell that the Ponte Vecchio is even a bridge, with the shops lining each side of it. I wonder how many cross over it, not even realizing that they've done so!

About halfway over, though, you reach an open area with arches. Looking east, you'll see the Ponte Santa Trinita, which we had crossed over earlier; and looking west, you'll see the Ponte Santa Grazie. As we complete our walk over the Ponte Vecchio, we stopped to look in a few gold shops along the way. (Don't worry, Chip, we only looked!)

And on the other side of the Arno we came upon a sight that I've wanted to see the whole time I've been here: the locks. You see, legend has it that if couples place a lock on one of the horse tethers near the Ponte Vecchio, and then toss the key into the Arno, that their love will last forever. (Yes, Chip, we'll be doing this together when you arrive!)

And how do you end such a perfect first full day in Florence? With a fabulous dinner, of course! And that dinner took place at the wonderful osteria right across the street from my apartment, Vini e Vecchi Sapori. My parents loved the authentic feel of this place, complete with wood beams, lot of wine bottles lining the walls, and a proprietor who speaks no English. That, of course, meant that the menu was only in Italian, which also meant that they had to trust my translation of it. But all went well, and we thoroughly enjoyed our dishes of papparadelle with wild hare sauce, meatballs with lemon sauce, roasted pork, and Tuscan beans with olive oil. This is true Tuscan food that leaves lasting memories.