winifredcreamer

A First Dip into Florence

We are visiting Florence sparingly to avoid total burnout from the combustion of cultural experiences under the force of heat and pressure from crowds. The first rule of visiting cities: Never Take the Car, is easy here. There is excellent tram service from Scandicci into the city center. There is parking in a nearby shoppingContinue reading “A First Dip into Florence”

Visiting the Etruscans

The people who lived between Rome and Florence from about 800- 200 BC were the Etruscans. Eventually these people were absorbed into the Roman population of Italy but they had a huge influence that is not well known because of the way Etruscan religion and culture merged into that of Rome. Best known from artifactsContinue reading “Visiting the Etruscans”

Welcome to Scandicci (Florence)

On June 1, we moved into our new apartment, half a house above Scandicci, a suburb of Florence. It is very comfortable, and our hostess, Lucia, is very warm and willing to put up with my stumbling Italian. El 1 de junio, nos mudamos a nuestro nuevo apartamento, media casa encima de Scandicci, un suburbioContinue reading “Welcome to Scandicci (Florence)”

Making Mosaics

There are mosaics in Venice, but I didn’t find any place that was making mosaics. In Ravenna, however, there are several large mosaic studios. We visited one and I enjoyed seeing the range of work that was being done. Some pieces are copies of classical mosaics, or pieces made in classical style. Hay mosaicos enContinue reading “Making Mosaics”

Ravenna, a mosaic jewel

We spent the day between rental apartments in Ravenna. I visited in 1968 with my Italian family when I was a summer exchange student and I never forgot these beautiful works of art and I wanted Jonathan to see them. We had a rapid but satisfying visit to all the main sites. The mosaics areContinue reading “Ravenna, a mosaic jewel”

Dilemma in Venice

Venice has signs along some of its narrow streets and on its narrow bridges that remind visitors that real people (Italian people, VENETIAN people) live in Venice and have places to go, people to see, things to do. If tourists would kindly keep moving and not stop in the middle of bridges, people who liveContinue reading “Dilemma in Venice”

Good to Know About Venice

I would go back to Venice. (See my next post for why that might not be a good idea.) The city is small and walkable, it has excellent public transportation that takes you from the airport to the train station and onto the island of Venice seamlessly. There are wonderful artisans and delicious food. HereContinue reading “Good to Know About Venice”

The Mediterranean Diet?

Rates of adult obesity are much lower in Italy than the US, yet Italians eat delicious dishes (Roman fried artichokes, veal scallopine, eggplant parmesan, gelato, cannoli). How do they do it? I’ve found one way. They only eat lunch sitting down! In the morning, every cafe sells “caffè e cornetto”, expresso and a croissant (notContinue reading “The Mediterranean Diet?”

Art in the age of Post-Truth: Damien Hirst at the Venice Biennale

One stupendous appropriation of archaeology by an artist at the Biennale was the exhibit by Damien Hirst, “Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable”. This work takes up a total of almost 40 rooms in two different buildings and is not a part of the Biennale but is displayed as though it were an associatedContinue reading “Art in the age of Post-Truth: Damien Hirst at the Venice Biennale”

La Serenissima

This is our apartment in Venice. It is small, but well located next door to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. During the day it is noisy, especially when school and tour groups arrive and leave the Guggenheim, but after 6 pm it is quiet. Este es nuestro apartamento en Venecia. Es pequeño, pero bien situado alContinue reading “La Serenissima”