Florence

Annibale Gatti, Trionfo di Amore

After a long plane ride and two trains, we arrived well in Florence. We are in a reconstructed house built in the 19th Century- it is modeled after a 16 th C villa. Each room has frescoes on the ceiling. The ball room has the last fresco by Annibale Gatti- we were lucky to enjoy a Campari on the rooftop with owners Francesca and Claudio followed by a tour of this lovely home.

Piazza Michaelangelo

Piazza Michaelangelo

The view from Piazza Michaelangelo is breathtaking. More wonderful to the boys seems to be the pace of Italian life and, of course the gelato! We sped through the Ufizzi today- Ana walked it's corridors alone while I kept Joseph and Ethan interested in the various Rembrandts and Boticelli's. The birth of Venus caught our eye.

Boticelli Birth of Venus

More cycling tomorrow in the Chianti region- plans are to meet up with friends in Anzio. The US has a military cemetery with 9000. US servicemen and women buried there. Most were lost during the mainland invasions at Anzio and Nettuno. The Normandy of Italy.

Ciao for now...

 

Posted by Dr. Paul

T minus 4 days and counting!

The boys in Cleveland

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi

Ana, the boys and I are getting ready for an adventure. The Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi will open its doors in about 1 year. Currently it is the largest hospital building project in the world. I will begin work in Abu Dhabi on August 1. So we got rid of most of our extra "things", found a nice home for Edward our cat and we leave for Rome on Monday. I hope that you will enjoy this blog...

Edward

 

Abu Dhabi now

Abu Dhabi then

 

Posted by Dr. Paul