The Oltrarno

These are the pics from across the Arno--the Oltrarno:

These are from the Ponte alle Grazie where I crossed over to the Oltrarno--the one on the left looking upstream, and the ones on the right looking downstream toward the Ponte Vecchio.

This is Santa Croce church and piazza:

Today I walked to the Santa Croce area, and saw the church and sat on a bench in the square for a bit, then walked along the Arno for a ways... it is so picturesque--such a broad river, lined by high banks and by buildings all along... and the series of bridges set apart, and all different. Today, with the clouds lifted, I could see the hills and mountains with snow ringing the city, and it was a spectacular site. I walked across the arno, and followed the signs (how not like Italy to have a way guided so well with directional signs) to Piazzele Michalangelo with the bronze (I think) statue of the maestro:

then up many more stairs to a church/abbey--all with magnificent views of the city! The church was surrounded by ornategraves and families' mausoleums--I took some pictures, but then paid the beggar at the door of the church, plus paid a few euro to light some candles for my relatives, so perhaps that will compensate for taking the pictures?

It was a relaxing day after dashing from museum to museum over the last couple of days. I am getting to know my neighborhood, and stopped in a little bar--had a proscuitto and formaggio pannino and a Moretti beer, then was lulled by one of the hundreds of gelato shops for a little cioccolato/tiramisu cup of gelato!

I am going to the Ufizzi tomorrow at 9:00 and have to have my luggage packed since I won't be back before check out time--I'll leave my things at the desk, spend a few hours at the Ufizzi, then go to the new apartment that Trudy has rented--it's near the Academia, about a 10 minute walk from here.ciao, tutti!