Tuesday, May 31

Yesterday we did some more shopping and made pepperonata and capanata in cooking class. Today we went to the Uffizi museum, which was awesome then I climbed the 414 steps to the top of the dome of the Duomo. It was not for the weak, but luckily I didn't get claustrophobic. We made a zucchini tarts, apples cooked in balsamic vinegar (yum), and cooked pears in white wine sauce.

Tonight we had a gelato workshop which was awesome. We made hazelnut, vanilla, and strawberry sorbet and lemon sorbet. Yum! It was so good. Tomorrow to the Boboli gardens, desserts in cooking class, then not sure.

Gnocchi for dinner (one of my favorite foods here)

This looks like a postcard, picture I took from the Uffizi of the Ponte Vecchio bridge

This dog was getting toted around in a suitcase

Apples in balsamic vinegar, yum!

Zucchini tart

Almost to the top of the dome, looking down into cathedral

Bell tower and much of Florence from top of the dome

The building with the green roof is the market that we love

Very high up there

Not my best pic but whatever

Ceiling of the dome

Stuffed zucchini with cous cous and potatoes

Today was our trip to Rome. We had a smooth train ride then crowded subway ride to the Vatican. We waited in line and got in pretty quickly. The admission was free but we had limited time so we saw the Sistine Chapel then headed out to St. Peter's Basilica. It was gorgeous. Then to the Coliseum and the Palatine Hill and the Forum. Then to the Trevi Fountain and finally the Spanish Steps. Great day but way to crowded for my liking.

Sign for the Vatican

Line wrapped all the way around

Ceiling in one of the rooms

Sistine chapel

Sistine chapel

The pull my finger guys

Guard

St. Peter's Basilica

Close up

Inside the Basilica

Inside

Inside

Coliseum

Coliseum

Outside

Paletine Hill and Forum

From the top of the hill

Remains of a palace

Not sure what this was but gorgeous

Throwing my coin in the Trevi Fountain

Fountain in background

Spanish steps

Spanish steps

Sitting on the steps, looking down

Saturday, May 28

This time next week, we will be on a flight home. The first 2 weeks flew by and this next one will even more. I only miss 2 things (not including the people and cats I miss, of course): Mexican food and tea. They have tea here but it's either peach or lemon, not plain. I don't miss driving a car even though it's necessary where we live.

Today we went to a cheese producer and saw the steps for Parmagiano Reggiano. Then we went to a restaurant (Parma Rotta) to have a demonstration of fresh pasta making and then had lunch there. My favorite meal so far! Then we went to Acetaia Malpighi in Modena to see balsamic vinegar and have a tasting. We got to try an apple and orange balsamic vinegar, plus a 6, 12, and 25 year aged balsamic. I bought the orange to bring home with me.

One of the first steps after the skim of the milk from the day before is mixed with the fresh milk

Pulling it up from the bottom

It looks heavy

Cheese sits here for awhile

Stamped

Stored here for years, each one weighs about 100 lbs

Sign in front

Making fresh pasta

Rolling with thinner

Ravioli with ricotta and spinach

Showing how to make noodles

The chef was a jokester

Strozzapretti with a tomato and basil sauce

Gnocchi with butter and olive oil, pronounced noki

Balsamic vinegar storage

In Modena, where we had balsamic vinegar