Florence Journal

Live blogging from Florence

Just an FYI - in the middle of a tremendous thunder/rain storm at the moment. 1:24 PM local time -

It's really hot in Florence

I know I say this every summer, but even though we have been living here for 5 years, we are always gone in July. This summer I am here - and it is HOT! Real hot. Stifling. The piazzas are like mini stone deserts - during the day you see almost no one in the sun - all the people are shuffling around in the shaded areas. And it seems hotter than it is supposed to be every day. For instance if the forecast is for 89 degrees fahrenheit - it is 95 instead - like today was.

August, when we are usually around, has been bearable compared to this!

Supermercati?

What is it with all the new mini supermarkets in Florence? Unfortunately I think it is a by product of this global recession. We lost the American Express office almost two years, and what is going to open in its place? A new META market (META is all over town, used to be called Magi Mart).

There is already a newer market on Borgo Albizi. There is a new one across the street from our apartment (an independent). And this morning on my walk, I passed the newest entry in town on via Guicciardini (and I think there are two of these - I saw something on the back of a bus mentioning two locations), the more upscale "Sapori & Dintorni" by CONAD. Some of the produce was outrageously priced - the wine prices were actually pretty good though :)

So first there were more pizzerias, then gelaterias, and now the money seems to be moving into the supermarket space. Just sort of strange.

Rain

The news from Florence is rain - it just won't stop. The forecast does have sunshine for tomorrow, which I think all of Tuscany is looking forward to. And it was about 45 degrees last night to boot! It has been unseasonably cool and damp for weeks now. I am sure there is a lot more going on here but the weather is all anyone seems to be talking about right now...

Festa della Donna

The Festa della Donna is today! Give a woman some flowers, preferably the yellow Mimosa:

There is more about the history of this holiday here and this is more focused on the Italian version.

Curtain Lights, Florence

Here are some more Christmas lights in Florence, there are the ones that look like curtains:

Florence Christmas Lights

The Christmas lights are up all over town, with many different types of lights on different streets. I will be posting more photos soon but here are the lights on Via dei Servi at dusk on Monday: 

Some more commentary on the Amanda Knox trial

Not really crazy about Alan M. Dershwitz's opinions, but here is some more thinking about this case and the options the defendant still has:

"The trial took nearly a year. But now that an Italian jury has determined that Amanda Knox, a 22-year-old American student, is guilty of murdering her British housemate in Perugia, Italy, in 2007, the legal wrangling has in some ways just begun."

From thelede.blogs.nytimes.com

Festa della Toscana

BTW - today was the Festa della Toscana - which to me meant the kids had off school. Turns out there is more too it: Festa della Toscana

Biblioteca delle Oblate open until Midnight during December

A message from the Comune of Florence:

La Biblioteca delle Oblate si accende per te!

Il nostro orario sara prolungato fino alla Mezzanotte, tutti i giorni, per tutto il mese di dicembre.

Ti invitiamo alle molte e varie iniziative di inaugurazione martedi 1 dicembre, dalle 18 fino alle 24. Sara presente il Sindaco di Firenze Matteo Renzi.

The Oblate library is at Via dell'Oriuolo 26. It is a great place to get on line (for residents and students - not sure if tourists can get access with a passport of not) for free (they have WiFi throughout) - you get 3 hours a day, and the cafe is finally open too.

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