Mamma Mia!

—Soo's new favourite expression, especially regarding Monica's new, purple jumpsuit (5 euro, a total win). I, on the other hand, settled for an 8 euro "cashmere" scarf in the San Lorenzo market. I figured it couldn't hurt to practice my hopeless bargaining skills here, braving aggressive vendors ("Very nice bag! Would you like another one?" to Jen. And to us, "Very stylish ladies! You are single, please think about that").

The cultural wallop of being transplanted from St. Louis to Florence is rather exhilerating, though overwhelming at times. I think it's worth it to brave the glare of elderly women on the bus, if it means enjoying a breathtaking view of Florence from the hills of Settignano. I'm not confident enough to try biking in the city, but I can appreciate their audacity as they determinedly try to squeeze in the 10-inch gap between moving vehicles.

In the future weeks, as I try to absorb everything around me (I feel like a baby trying take in a new world with a new language), I am sure I will find elements that will seduce the artist in me. However, I'm still a bit reluctant to pin down any one aspect of Florence for future investigation. I'm a sucker for the classical art here, but feel as if Florentine culture has been stereotyped for its colourful past, overlooking the present people and culture. Florence is like a time capsule, unevenly preserving aspects from antiquity to contemporary.

Here are some photos from our first week.


~Mara