Yes, mio marito è arrivato (my husband has arrived)! (Well, actually he arrived on March 17, but as you know, I'm quite behind in making my blog entries!) It seemed as if the day would never arrive. In 15 plus years of marriage, seven weeks is by far the longest we’ve ever been apart. I took a bus to the airport to meet him and couldn’t wait until he stepped off the plane. Of course, I couldn’t see this actually happen; the best I could do was to wait outside the customs area. Everyone arriving in Florence walks through an automatic door after picking up luggage and, if necessary, going through customs, although Chip went through customs in Frankfurt. At least he thinks he did; customs is really quite lax in Europe, and most of us went through it when we landed in Europe without even realizing it. (So much for high-level security measures!)
When I arrived at the airport, I ran into one of our students, Melissa, who was waiting for her boyfriend to arrive; it turns out that he and Chip were on the same flight from Frankfurt. So we waited patiently, alert each time the automatic door swung open. Well, that is until Melissa’s boyfriend actually stepped through. For over an hour, she had stared expectantly at the door each time it opened; ironically, the moment she decided to look down to adjust her top, he walked through. Even though I had never seen him before, I actually spotted him before she did. (It must have been the way he was looking at her!).
And then, finally, Chip walked through right after him. (Of course, I had to snap his picture first!) He looked fantastic, even after traveling so far and so long. How I had missed him! But, as is the case with those you love, those seven weeks melted away, and it seemed as though we had never been apart.
Naturally Chip was hungry after all that travel, so we walked down to my favorite bar, Caffè Logge for a light lunch and coffee. And then I dragged him everywhere through Florence. We visited the Duomo, Spedale degli Innocenti (the world’s first orphanage), and Santissima Annunziata (the Church of the Holy Annunciation). This beautiful church was founded in 1250, and we were thrilled to enter while a mass was going on in its dimly lit interior, lending to the atmosphere. We also learned that the church contains one of the most treasured shrines in Florence, a painting of the Virgin Mary that was begun in 1252 by a monk. Although he never completed his work on it, somehow the painting was finished, many believe by an angel. Ever since and to this day, newly married couples come here after their wedding ceremony to present a bouquet to the Virgin in the statue, asking for a long and happy marriage. How fitting that we visited this lovely church on this day of being reunited.
After leaving this special place, we walked down to the church of San Marco, which has never been open all the times I’ve walked by; yet today it was. (Chip must have special powers!) This is the church that the Medici built to atone for their sins of usury. That sure beat death, which was the typical penalty for usury in those days! Thank goodness that the Pope was close with the Medici and allowed this penalty as the church is beautiful, and I was happy to finally have had a chance to see the interior. We then walked through the bustling San Lorenzo Market until we decided that it was time for some wine! So I took him to my favorite wine bar, Coquinarius, run by the charming Niccolò. We enjoyed our wine and appetizers at Coquinarius, followed by dinner at Frescobaldi, an upscale restaurant located right next door to my apartment building. The Frescobaldi family has been producing wine for centuries, and the winery uses this restaurant as a showcase for its wines, matching them all carefully with tasty Tuscan food. It was a perfect end to Chip’s first day in Florence. And the best part is that when dinner was over, we simply walked next door to go home to bed, a big plus when someone has been up for over 24 hours!
When I arrived at the airport, I ran into one of our students, Melissa, who was waiting for her boyfriend to arrive; it turns out that he and Chip were on the same flight from Frankfurt. So we waited patiently, alert each time the automatic door swung open. Well, that is until Melissa’s boyfriend actually stepped through. For over an hour, she had stared expectantly at the door each time it opened; ironically, the moment she decided to look down to adjust her top, he walked through. Even though I had never seen him before, I actually spotted him before she did. (It must have been the way he was looking at her!). 
And then, finally, Chip walked through right after him. (Of course, I had to snap his picture first!) He looked fantastic, even after traveling so far and so long. How I had missed him! But, as is the case with those you love, those seven weeks melted away, and it seemed as though we had never been apart.I couldn’t wait to show him my apartment, so that’s where we headed first. A cab dropped us off, and Chip loved having to lug his luggage up those 54 steps. But he fell in love with the place, just as I had. And, although I’ve loved my apartment, suddenly it was perfect and complete with him in it.
Naturally Chip was hungry after all that travel, so we walked down to my favorite bar, Caffè Logge for a light lunch and coffee. And then I dragged him everywhere through Florence. We visited the Duomo, Spedale degli Innocenti (the world’s first orphanage), and Santissima Annunziata (the Church of the Holy Annunciation). This beautiful church was founded in 1250, and we were thrilled to enter while a mass was going on in its dimly lit interior, lending to the atmosphere. We also learned that the church contains one of the most treasured shrines in Florence, a painting of the Virgin Mary that was begun in 1252 by a monk. Although he never completed his work on it, somehow the painting was finished, many believe by an angel. Ever since and to this day, newly married couples come here after their wedding ceremony to present a bouquet to the Virgin in the statue, asking for a long and happy marriage. How fitting that we visited this lovely church on this day of being reunited.
After leaving this special place, we walked down to the church of San Marco, which has never been open all the times I’ve walked by; yet today it was. (Chip must have special powers!) This is the church that the Medici built to atone for their sins of usury. That sure beat death, which was the typical penalty for usury in those days! Thank goodness that the Pope was close with the Medici and allowed this penalty as the church is beautiful, and I was happy to finally have had a chance to see the interior. We then walked through the bustling San Lorenzo Market until we decided that it was time for some wine! So I took him to my favorite wine bar, Coquinarius, run by the charming Niccolò. We enjoyed our wine and appetizers at Coquinarius, followed by dinner at Frescobaldi, an upscale restaurant located right next door to my apartment building. The Frescobaldi family has been producing wine for centuries, and the winery uses this restaurant as a showcase for its wines, matching them all carefully with tasty Tuscan food. It was a perfect end to Chip’s first day in Florence. And the best part is that when dinner was over, we simply walked next door to go home to bed, a big plus when someone has been up for over 24 hours!
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