Yesterday I had the immense pleasure of being with some new friends who showed me their garden in Florence, and as we climbed the hill behind their home, the most amazing vistas of the city came into view.  Behold!

 

Below is a sweeping view from the Palazzo Pitti on the right to the dome of the Duomo on the left.

 

The city of Oz has nothing on Florence! Florence looks like a magical wonderland in the  picture below! I mean, just look at it!

It is known that the American painter, John Singer Sargeant, was on this promitory to see the sweeping views of Florence and it is said that long before that, Leonardo purportedly  studied this view as he developed his famous technique of sfumato.  And, to top it off, the hill is topped by the foundation of a chapel that was never constructed, because Roman ruins were found just below the surface of the ground.

It would take at least two lifetimes to take in the wonders of Florence.