Today was a gorgeous spring day and I wanted to get out in the sunshine and fresh air.  I took a bus ride to Piazzale Michelangelo, which is a favorite ride and then I walk home across the city.  Only 5 people on the bus.  The Piazzale was deserted.  I like it this way, though not for these reasons.

 

 

 

Can never resist a flower photo.

 

Ciao da Firenze, from the Rose Garden:

 

 

 

 

Piazza Santa Croce:

 

 

 

 

A lovely signora was enjoying the spring weather from her window:

 

 

 

 

All of Italy is now under governmental orders to restrict travel.  Today is the first day of life under the new guidelines.  All schools, universities, museums and more are closed. This is a very drastic attempt by the Italian government to get ahead of the coronavirus, the first of its kind in the Western world.

I teach English part-time online in China and all of my regular students have been quarantined at home for the past 6 weeks.  I’ve been amazed by their stoicism.  And, if preliminary reports can be trusted, China has begun announcing that they have stopped the outbreak of the disease and some schools will begin reopening soon.

So, for now, I will stay hunkered down in beautiful Florence, filling my time with wandering around the city (though not eating out), reading great books, studying the language, and teaching my students.  I’ll keep my post updated as time goes on.

At this point, we are looking at 3 weeks, more or less, of “stare a casa.” Staying home. Fortunately, I’m a homebody! Maybe I will finally get caught up on my blog posts and language study.