(Ken)Saturday was a nice day, clear but chilly, so I went out and took a few photos of the street we're on.  This is the entrance to our home-sweet-home for the next three months, Via dei Ginori 9.  Our entry is the forbidding looking door in the middle.(Tre)  There's often a beggar sitting outside.  I told K we have to give him money to thank him for holding up our building. 

Our door - actually there are three sequential doors, each quite formidable.  The first is open now (in the day), the second can be seen inset in about 15 feet.  Then there's a small courtyard, and finally another door (all of which we have to unlock to get in), and then finally, up a flight a stairs, the door to our apartment!(Tre) Small courtyard????  Most times there are 3 or 4 cars in it, numerous bikes, carriages and there's still a huge area.  I guess it's in the eye of the beholder.

Here's the view above the entry.  It's a pretty grand edifice, originally built in the 1500's by the Ginori's, a wealthy Florence family. (Tre)  I'll get Ken to take pictures of the apartment.  It's a mass of incongruities.  The kitchen lacks an oven.  The bathroom looks like the toilet was an afterthought.  Our supposedly queensize bed might just make it to the double size.  On the other hand, the ceiling in the main room was hand painted somewhere between the 15 to 1700s.   It was probably one home and now makes up about 11 or 12 apartments.  The TV gets 6 Italian channels and we haven't a clue what they are saying.  On the other hand if it were cable we would never have a clue how to speak Italian. 

Tomorrow we go to our first day of language school.  I had to figure out from three possible outfits what I was going to wear.  I asked Ken if he had put any thought in this.  He told me, "Yeah, pants and a shirt."  Such is the difference.

We walked to the school today.  It's right across from the Duomo. The Duomo is an incredible structure and the center of Florence.  I'm sure K will send you pictures of it.  If you haven't seen it I couldn't begin to describe it.  What a massive architectural beauty.  The Baptistery is right across the street with it's exquisite doors.   We should have lots of time to explore the area and see what else is there.

Hope all is well with you and yours.