Under the Tuscan Sun

We left Rome after the most wonderful stay. Laura, the owner of the bed and breakfast we stayed in, was just so great. We can't stop talking about her! She has also inspired us to learn Italian. So on top of the seventeen hours I'm taking in the fall, I hope to fit in a little Italian learning too! Laura, we will be back to see you soon!
Anna and I arrived in Florence Sunday night. We unpacked our things at the hostel and went out to explore a little bit. This city is beautiful. We ate a quick bite and then headed to bed. Monday we fit in a full day of shopping! We loved the leather market...spent way too much time there but it was wonderful! When in Florence, you buy leather and paper. We stayed true to the tradition. Anna and I both have cute new purses. We had a nice little dinner at a place with gluten free pasta. It is amazing how aware Italy is of Celiac disease. Everyone has been so helpful and Anna has had some wonderful meals!
Tuesday we started the day with the walking tour that our hostel offers. It was a very informative two hours. Since we are both student recruiteres, we like to be in the know about where we are. When Mom and Dad arrived at 2:00 we knew everything to tell them about the city. They thought we were so smart, thanks to our lovely tour guide! We showed mom the leather market and she got a few things too. Beautiful leather everywhere! Next we climbed the 415 steps of the bell tower. Man was it a long way but the view was totally worth it from the top. We could see the city from every side. We came back to shower and get ready for dinner. My friend Matt Brown's family friend John has been traveling by himself for a few weeks. He met us for dinner at a place called Ciro and Sons. It was one of the best meals we've had so far! A wonderful pizza for me, gluten free pasta for Anna, and other great dishes all around. Complete with chocolate souffle for dessert! Fabulous meal and we loved meeting John. We all wish him well with the rest of his travels!
Wednesday we had museum day! First the Uffizi and then the Accedemia. We saw tons of famous pieces of art. We also saw David. Wow. I was skeptical that any sculpture could be that magnificent. As soon as we walked into the gallery, I understood totally. It is amazing. Something everyone needs to see in person. The detail is unbelievable. We headed back towards the Duomo to admire the beautiful church. The whole building is a piece of art. Anna and I came back to the hostel and did laundry. Meg Wilson and Caroline Jackson know this about me but many people dont.....I LOVE LAUNDRY. Really I love clean clothes but I don't mind laundry at all. It was wonderful to clean our clothes. It is hot and it was time for a washing machine ride. We feel much better and will be able to make it to Brussels with clean clothes. We had another great dinner with mom and dad too!
Today we shopped for paper all morning. Dad laughed at us because Mom, Anna, and I all love paper. Anna and I have found that we both shared a love for office supplies and school suppiles when we were younger. Actually we both still love them. Dad watched as the three of us looked over everything in several paper stores this morning. We all got some lovely things. We left this afternoon for a wine tasting tour. It was so fun! We went to Chianti and toured two vineyards. We tasted wine, olive oil, balsalmic vinegar, honey, and even some lotion made from lavendar on the organic farm we were on. It was a perfect afternoon Under the Tuscan Sun. The view from our little van was just like the movies. All the grapes growing in uniform rows, the hills spotted with trees, and little houses tucked in here and there. It was incredible. The only downside was the drive back to the city. We didn't want to leave the countryside. Also, the Italians are fierce when it comes to driving. New York City cab drives have nothing on the everyday citizen of Rome or Florence. We made it home safely and then had one last meal with the parents. Mom is calling Anna her Italian daughter since everywhere we've been people think we are sisters or even twins. We said goodbye to them and they headed back to their hotel. We have LOVED been with you all in Italy! We are going to miss you! But I can't wait to have more stories and fun things to tell you when we return home. The Westmoreland clan will be visiting Italy again soon.
Anna and I have a few more hours to enjoy Florence tomorrow. Of course we will get Gelato one last time. Anna has been keeping up with how much money we've spent on gelato. I don't even want to know, we love it! Fun flavors these last few days have been mango, papaya, lemon, yogurt, cheesecake, and cherry. We love them all! We love Italy! It is going to be sad to leave tomorrow, but our time here has been more than fabulous. I couldn't have asked for a better stay in Italia!