We have officially arrived in Italy. Florence is our home base for the next month. Is it different than Spain? Absolutely. We have only been here for about a day, but the architecture and the pace of life and the public demeanor of the the average person immediately strike me with the differences I notice. Spain is a much more conservative country, both in dress and in public conversation. I am not suggesting one is better than the other.

We were excited to see Randy and Melisa Standly who are with us for about two weeks and so we will galavant around Tuscany with them and are looking forward to it. Kathy and I already slipped into the grand Duomo (cathedral) that is noted for the Brunelleschi dome that commands attention with its red tile roof atop multi-colored marble walls engraved with mosaics and recessed statues of Bible characters. The inside of the dome is as impressive as the exterior, painted in a grand scene of heavenly glory.

Our apartment is comfortable and well placed for what we wish to do while here. Kathy brought a little bit of Spain with us–can you guess? The candle that turns colors. I could not believe that she snuck that into her suitcase. It is burning its ever changing colors as I type. Oh yes, she brought several pounds of Valor a la Taza chocolate for her “hot drink.” Alas, there are not the abundance of pastry shops that we had so close to us in Seville, but I did notice a few in the piazza just up the street–all aglow with flaming torches and linen covered tables under white awnings. Rather classy. I’ll be checking them out later.