Alinari Fratelli e pui

This morning we went back the Uffizzi and entered the special Amici degli Uffizi entrance. This time we saw the pintori stranieri, the Dutch, Flemish, and French paintings. My favorites were the Chardin paintings and little knows Dutch ones. There were also several Rembrandts. Next we walked over to the Alinari gallery. I love their old photographs of Italian life. The three brothers, Leopoldo, Guiseppe, and Romualdo, founded a photography studio in 1852 and are known for their old photographs of Italian life, architecture, and public spaces. There were so many wonderful prints to choose from, but I chose one with the Ponte Vecchio underneath the arch of the Ponte Santa Maria and a boat of fisherman near some washerwomen and their laundry at the edge of the Arno.
Here’s a filtered view of the photo. Mine looks much better than this, but you’ll get the idea. Richard, I hope you like it. You can make a frame for it!

The cafe shot through the doorway is of the Alinari cafe with wonderful pressed tin trim on the bar and a huge chandelier.
We ate wonderful panini for lunch today at a place across the street from our apartment called Il Panino del Chianti. We had a glass of wine there the other night. It’s a tiny place, and for 4 Euros they will make you a panino (sandwich) with whatever you want on it. We ordered prociutto, porchetta, pecorino, pesto, and arugula and ciabatta bread. This post will continue doppo pausa.

We went to the museo behind the Duomo to see Ghiberte’s Gates of Paradise and Michaelangelo’s last Pieta sculpture. But they’d closed the section with the wonderful wooden sculpture of Mary Magdalene praying by Donatello. AND, we had to pay and couldn’t use our special Amici degli Uffizzi pass. But not important.
Such a beautiful day. I’ve never been inside the Chiesa Oransmichele, but it is a beautiful medieval church with stained glass windows and an elaborate carved alterpiece. Afterwards we wandered the streets and stopped for coffee at a cafe across from the Pitti Palace. We know they will take our cards when we go on Saturday. Tonight we’re having dinner at Trattoria Casalinga. Casalinga means housewife, and it’s supposed to be good but inexpensive and family run. Here is the entrance to our tower. I love all the plants and flowers. A man sprays down the pavement with a hose each morning and then sweeps the water. The other photos is the band of Hare Krishnas who keep parading down the Ponte Vecchio at least once a day.