Back to school ( Italian once again!) in Florence

 Having studied Italian many times over the years, with many yearlong gaps, I should be fluent by now... if it had been continuous! However given my level I seem to be always joining grammar classes studying Il Trapassato Remoto or other complicated tenses! I am really only interested in Present, Past and Future!

First morning walking to the classes near the Santa Croce Basilica was one of those mornings when one is happy to be alive! The Ponte Vecchio  up close before anyone arrived!

Arriving at the school.....

...the assigned room for class was interesting.....

The grammar board not so......

That evening called for an uphill walk to the Piazzale Michelangelo to see the sunset.....

The night time view of the Ponte Vecchio was also great!

Next day we visited the Santa Croce Basilica with the school.......

The architect of the facade, Niccolo Matas, was Jewish and some think the star at the top is the Star of David.

He was buried at the threshold to the church.... his choice apparently as permission had been given to be buried inside.

There are many illustrious names within.....

Marconi.... has a plaque but is not actually buried there.....

Da Vinci... also not actually buried there... he died in France.

Galileo.....actually buried there.....

Machiavelli...... also actually buried there.....

Dante Alighieri..... actually buried in Ravenna.....

Michelangelo.....

And there is of course the statue which is thought to have inspired the Statue of Liberty!

The main altar was also very beautiful.....

With Giotto's fresco to the right......

The exit is now through the old refectory,where Tadeo Gaddi's Tree of Life  can be viewed.

Two different views of the Duomo in Florence

We visited the cafe of the Oblate library

located just behind the Duomo, as we had heard that this has one of the best views of Brunelleschi's dome in Florence.  It has.........

Lots of people climb to the top of the dome but we were not tempted, after we heard it had 432 steps to the top and no lift!!

The Oblate cafe is however a great place to have a cup of coffee with a view......

and we can also highly recommend their innovative paninis and wine at a very economical 3 euros per item! One of our more inexpensive lunches!!

It has a very tranquil courtyard..........

and lots of space for students to study........

WiFi is free after one registers!

The other great view of the dome is from Piazzale  Michelangelo.  We walked up very slowly!  And this was after a long walk in the San Croce area...........

and we were rewarded with the most fantastic sunset views!

We stopped at a nice restaurant the  Osteria Antica Mescita San Niccolo on the way down....in need of a slight rest!