We have our first visitors to Florence. Eric's parents, Jim and Elaine, arrived on Friday. Eric picked them up and the airport and then dropped them off at the Fiesole library, where I was with the boys. We were reading (in English) Roald Dahl's George's Marvelous Medicine, a story about a boy named George who seeks a cure for his grandmother's grumpiness, his creative elixir produces surprising results (per School Library Journal). Eric went on ahead to unpack the car, while the rest of us walked home with the boys leading the way. Upon arrival home they were given the tour of the house and a skype video call from Larry. Then on to the tree house. Grandma even climbed up the ladder into the treehouse for the full experience. Then on to the olive orchard, where our landlords and their family were still picking olives.
We then gathered back at the house for a lunch on the terrace, accompanied at the table by the irridescent scarab beetle that we found last week at a park we went to. The beetle seems to have decided to make a new home in the vine outside our door.
After a brief rest it was then another walk up to Fiesole (Eric and Jim drove), to the monestary at the highest point in Fiesole, where there is a great terrace overlooking Florence and the sunset. We walked back home and had a nice dinner together.
Saturday we dropped grandparents and grandkids off at the train station downtown while we went car shopping. Cyrus and Griffin led Jim and Elaine into the underground tunnels at the station, and when they found they were not sure which staircase to take back to the surface, Cyrus is reported to have walked up to a complete stranger and asked in Italian, "Excuse me, which way to the Duomo?" The four of them continued on their journey with Cyrus and Griffin leading the way to their favorite toy store, Dreoni.
Meanwhile Eric and I were at the Toyota dealership. We had been there a few days earlier and learned that one of the men there was an American football fan. He told us of his collection of 25 football helmets at his house and that he woudl love to get more team gear. At the end I said something about being a Green Bay fan and he immediately mentioned Brett Favre - I knew he must be a genuine fan. On Thursday we spoke to Jim and Elaine just as they were leaving the house for the airport. We asked if they had any Green Bay gear in the closet that they could bring along. So on Saturday Eric presented Nicola with a GB scarf. He was so surprised, he jumped out of his seat, hugged Eric, then asked Eric whether he was a jealous man because he wanted to kiss me too.
Today (Sunday) we drove to downtown (you can't drive in the center, so we had to walk about a mile to get to downtown afer parking) and we went to a market similar to one we went to in September, with organic products, crafts and more. We met an art bike guy with his bike that from a distance, looks like a light-orange grass bike. Upon closer inspection the bike was wrapped (frame, spokes and all) with frayed fabric strips. Eric got his email address and I am sure they will be in contact. We then headed toward the Duomo and the Bartolucci toy store. After returning to our car we headed too our "old" neighborhood around Campo di Marte where the boys showed off the playground they spent so much time at during our first month here.
photos of the market and playground to follow...
