Or, in Italian: Nella splendida Firenze! I’m so happy to see these old friends again!

I’m noticing a number of changes around town. For one thing, the octagonal building by Brunelleschi is opened for the first time in my memory. It now houses a small museum dedicated to the Medici that was formerly housed in a palazzo on Via Cavour. I haven’t visited the new site yet, but I will soon. The collection it houses isn’t anything remarkable (at least it wasn’t in its former digs), but I am very eager to see the Brunelleschi building for the first time. You can see the octagonal building in the background below. It’s in great shape for a 600 year old building!

They are in the process of building a pedestrian piazza near the Brunelleschi building, which looks like it will be very nice. They’ve already planted 8 or more mature orange trees: always a welcome sight!

Vasari’s arcade dedicated to a former fish market is looking spiffy near by. You’d never think it is 500 years old!

And just look at this iron work, would ya? How many people and how many hours/days do you think this masterpiece took to create? The photo doesn’t give scale, but you could drive a large truck through these gates.

I’m so happy to be back here, in case it isn’t obvious!