We are so proud of ourselves tonight. Today, we climbed to the very top of the Duomo – to the white part at the top of the picture above.  It is the equivalent of 25 stories up – and then back down.  So we climbed 50 floors today!

The Duomo is the dome on the top of the cathedral and was built as a dome within a dome. The dome underneath helps support the outer dome, and the stairs we climbed go between the two. They are very narrow and those going up share the same space with those going down. So not for the faint at heart.

The inside of the dome has painting by Vasari showing the final judgment – Jesus sends everyone either to Heaven or the alternative, with graphic depictions of what happens in both. It is pretty impressive from the ground but even more breathtaking as you get closer.

First Balcony

We climbed and climbed. First we got to the lower balcony, right below the painting on the dome. We were mesmerized seeing it so close – and seeing how far the floor of the cathedral was below.

Second Balcony

Then we climbed some more and were right at the level of the painting itself. You can make out the people on the lower balcony in the picture below.  It was really amazing to be able to study the painting so close up.  We were in awe – I got tears in my eyes.

To the Top!

And then the finale – we climbed the last bit almost like a ladder to get to the very tip top cupola outside. What a view! We could see all the sights we have been visiting and snow-capped mountains in the distance. We could even see our little apartment way down below.

And Down Again

THEN – we had to climb back down. That was almost harder than going up. We had to really concentrate because there weren’t always rails and in some places, it was kind of steep. But we took one step at a time.

What a fun experience – we definitely earned our Chianti today!

Well, when I last wrote, we were in Naples and waiting to see if our Italian marriage license was going to be officially accepted so that Frank and I could elope. The last step in this process was to swing by the Naples courthouse on our way out of town and pick up the filed copy, which our new friend Marco was supposed to bring out.

Our Rendezvous with Marcus

We jumped in a cab at our hotel and tried to explain that we needed to go to the courthouse, but to leave the meter running because we’d be going straight to the train station. The driver said, “Va Bene” (OK) and sped off. We got there and Frank hopped out to look for Marco. I stayed with the luggage.

The driver looked a little nervous then – I guess it did look a little suspicious that we were picking up a “package” at the courthouse and had our get-away car ready and waiting. So I tried to explain we were getting married and that’s why we were there. He didn’t understand English, and my Italian does not extend to these kinds of situations, so I just hummed “Dum, dum, dum, dum – here comes the bride.” And he smiled and said, “Ahh” and looked very relieved.

But soon Frank came charging back with our freshly stamped paperwork and we were off the Napoli Centrale station. Victory! We took the train back to Florence and were happy to see our little apartment.

Back to Sightseeing

Today we were back to sightseeing. But first – lunch. I read in a couple of guidebooks about Trattoria Tito. It is way off the beaten path, so we trudged several blocks out of the tourist area before we found it. When we did, we weren’t so sure because it looked very small, a little run-down, and closed. But there were people out front, who told us that it would open soon. Apparently it is so good that the Italians line up before it even opens! Since we were there at the opening, we got a table without having a reservation.

There is a sign on the door that says, “No well done meat here.” And the menu adds, “And no cappuccino!” (since that is only for breakfast in Italy). It is a very lively place where you eat what you are given, and it is delicious. There is graffiti on the walls, and the only language you hear is Italian – no Americans here. At the end of the meal, they plopped down two plastic soda bottles- one full of grappa, the other homemade limoncello. You serve yourself however much you want. (We have already made reservations to go back later this week!)

Another Church with a Hidden Surprise: San Lorenzo

Back in full Florentine mode, we visited another church, but this one was one of the most special due to its facade. As you can see (above), it is very plain and not very attractive. This is San Lorenzo church, which is in our neighborhood and where the Medici Family worshipped and Cosimo the Elder, who started the Medici dynasty, is buried. Michelangelo had designed an exterior, but the Pope nixed it due to money problems and it was never completed. So many people pass it by.

But if you venture in, it is beautiful inside. Brunelleschi, who designed the Duomo across from us, also designed this church, and Donatello designed the pulpits. There is a dome in the sacristy that Brunelleschi painted to reflect the exact star pattern from July 4, 1442 (see below) – there are many theories, but no one today knows why that date was so important.

My favorite thing to do when I visit these churches is to light a candle. Usually there are several places where candles are set up, and you can light one for a small offering. I wait until I see the perfect chapel within the church that inspires me, then light my candle, and sit down and pray – for our journey, for our marriage-to-be, and for our families. I just love the thought that I have candles burning with prayers all over town.

Postscript:

We were so inspired by this church that we went back today for Sunday services. It was even more meaningful when full of fellow worshipers, music, and all the rituals of Mass. While the service was in Italian, we were able to follow along for most parts. I learned that “peace” is “pace” (pronounced pa-chee) – what you say when you shake hands. And “Thanks be to God” is “Rendiamo grazie a Dio.” (I did completely miss the Lord’s Prayer, which Frank says we recited, so I will have to work on that for next time.) We sat next to an Italian lady, who told us as we left, “Buona Domenica” – “Happy Sunday.” So I say to you – “Buona Domenica!”

This has been our most adventurous day yet. This post is a little long because so much happened. To catch you up, we are trying to secure the Italian version of a marriage license – a Nulla Osta – so we can elope in Italy (see our last blog for more details). Our instructions from our wedding consultant were to travel to Naples, meet someone named “Mr. Bruno” (Bruno is his first name), pay him some money, and go with him to the US Consulate and Italian Court. We got up early and were ready.

Mr. Bruno

We were to meet Mr. Bruno at 7:45 in front of the US Consulate. Our taxi dropped us at the steps and there was no mistaking it – big US flag, barriers, bars, and lots of guards with facemasks and guns. We timidly explained we were to meet a man named Mr. Bruno and trying to get our marriage license. The guard (who was Italian) said, “Ah, Mr. Bruno – wait here.” We were expecting an Italian lawyer in a suit, so figured we’d recognize him. But a few minutes later, up strolled a man in all leather holding a motorcycle helmet – Mr. Bruno (who, by the way is fantastic, and if I ever get in trouble in Italy I am calling!).

U.S. Consulate

Mr. Bruno said we were to go inside by ourselves – he could not join us – and meet him after. We got waved through security after surrendering our phones, iPad, and Kindles, and were directed to Window 6 on the second floor. There were no people in sight, so we went up the stairs, but no Window 6. We finally remembered that the second floor in Italy is really the third (they do not count the ground floor) and found Window 6.

There were a few other people seeking visas, but we were the only Americans. They man behind the window called us up over a loudspeaker (even though there were only 4 people in the room) and said gruffly, “Well, what do YOU want?”, to which we stammered about trying to elope in Italy. It was like the Cowardly Lion trying to talk to the Wizard of Oz to ask for courage. He had us fill out some forms where we had to list our place of birth, parent’s names, and other identifying information. We had to wait and wait and then another man called us up. He was behind a window and spoke through a microphone and questioned us about our intentions. Then we had to swear under oath that we were legally able to be married and were entering into this union voluntarily. With that, he stamped our Nulla Osta document, and we were legal – at least in the US.

The Italian Courthouse

Back outside, we met Mr. Bruno, who said our next step was to register the Nulla Osta at the Italian court. Since he was on a motorcycle, he found a taxi for us and gave the driver the address of the Tribunale (courthouse). He said he had to stop off at the police station to have our forms stamped. He said later it was for the police to confirm that our signatures were valid with the ones “on file” – we aren’t even sure what that means but figured we wouldn’t ask (this may be the part that was not all above-board).

We arrived at the Tribunale, which is the central courthouse for any legal business in Naples. It is huge and surrounded by the jail – needless to say, the neighborhood is a little seedy (see pictures above). There was a long line to get in, consisting of all walks of life. We were still by ourselves but managed to get in line and talk our way inside and through security. Once inside, I was amazed that the courthouse had a full bar inside, which was packed, it looked like by all the lawyers! (Mr. Bruno said this is where deals really are negotiated.)

Family Court & Marco

Mr. Bruno met us and whisked us to the 16th floor for family court matters. Waiting for us was a man he introduced as “my friend Marco – he works in this building.” We weren’t sure why Marco was there – I thought maybe holding our place in line.

We waited awhile and eventually Bruno explained that two witnesses are required to testify that they know both me and Frank and that we are legally able to marry. Apparently Marco was our second witness – with Bruno being the first. Since we actually never had seen either one of them until today, they asked us to write down all of our important information in capital letters so they could keep it straight. (Bruno added, “Don’t worry, it’s not illegal.”)

Eventually, we got called in to an office where someone who seemed to be a magistrate of some sort reviewed the documents, interviewed our witnesses, entered our information, and placed a lot of stamps on our papers. Bruno and Marco looked a little nervous, like maybe we’d all be caught out. We just kept quiet. And then, with one final stamp, we were free to go.

Next Step

Now the papers have to be officially recorded. So we go back to the courthouse tomorrow to pick them up – our new friend Marco is supposed to meet us outside with them, and we can jump out of the taxi and grab them. We have no way to reach Marco and don’t even know his last name, so we shall see . . . .

Relief & Neapolitan Pizza

After all that we were so wiped out that we opted to skip sightseeing and just wander around the back streets of Naples. The day before, we were completely intimidated by the chaos of the city, but after our courthouse experience, it all seemed much tamer.

Naples is known for its pizza, so we asked our taxi driver to recommend a place. In Italian, he told us about Pizzeria al Due Due (22) – “the best pizza in Naples.” He said it was on a piazza “about mezza kilo” (half a kilometer) away. We knew we’d never figure that out, so just took a long walk down via Toledo, the main drag. Then we got braver and branched out to side streets, where the real action was – fish markets, little stalls with customers and shopkeepers yelling at each other, and scooters that would shoot past, even on the sidewalk.

Finally, I spied what looked like the perfect pizza place – and guess what? It turned out to be Pizzeria al 22! They have been serving Neapolitan pizza since 1935. Our taxi driver was right – it was the best pizza I’d ever had.

So fingers crossed tomorrow goes as planned and we pick up our papers on time – and then train back home to Florence. We feel like we’re on an Amazing Race-style Treasure Hunt, with the prize at the end being a wedding. What a romantic adventure!

Well, folks, we have an announcement! Frank and I have decided to elope while we are here in Italy – place and time is our secret!

We thought it would be so romantic to duck into a little church somewhere and tie the knot. But we learned it is not that easy. To get married in Italy, you must have a document called the Nulla Osta. It basically confirms that you are legally able to wed. It turns out that most people who want to marry in Italy start this process months in advance because it involves getting recently certified copies of your birth certificates and going to the Italian Consulate in your country with several witnesses who can attest that you are single.

How to Obtain a Nulla Osta WHILE in Italy?

But – we are already here, so what to do? We contacted a local wedding consultant who said, “No problem – you just need to go to Naples.” Puzzled, we asked what would happen in Naples. Apparently, in Naples, you can go to the US Consulate and show just your passports in order to register for marriage. Then you have to go to the Italian court to have it all documented and obtain the Nulla Osta. Of course, this also involves a little money being passed around (we think maybe under the table, which is why we figure we can only do this in Naples).

Trenitalia to Napoli

So – we are on the train on our way to Naples. We have an appointment with a man they simply call “Mr. Bruno” (Bruno being his first name). We are to meet him in a park with our money and go with him to the US Consulate and Italian Court. We feel like this is legit because we have received official appointments from the US State Department to meet with the US Consulate. (However, it will probably be a bit of an adventure!)

Assuming this is not a sting operation and we end up either deported or in jail, by Friday we should have our Nulla Osta and will be free to marry. We are in Italy for a few more months, so we have lots of good options for times and places. So stay tuned . . .

Postscript:

We are in Naples!  We had a fun afternoon sightseeing before our meetings at the US Consulate and Italian court tomorrow.

We had heard all kinds of warnings of the dangers of Naples, so were a bit nervous when we got off the train, holding our bags close by our sides. But we easily grabbed a taxi and are now at our beautiful hotel on the water with a view of Mount Vesuvius and Capri. Brings back good memories of our sail last year in the Bay of Naples.

We even got brave and struck out on our own to explore a little. Then got a little nervous again so grabbed the Hop On Hop Off Bus, which was a perfect way to see the city and get our bearings. We went all over. After, we even got savvy enough to duck into a famous local cafe, Gambrinus, which was very elegant. They have been open since 1860 and have served all kinds of celebrities, including Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway, and Luciano Pavarotti.

We are excited about our adventures tomorrow – we will update you after!

We had so much fun exploring San Croce that we decided to do another church the next day. We struck out in the opposite direction toward Santa Maria Novella.

Cantinetta Antorini

But first – we stopped for lunch at a restaurant recommended in the guidebooks for being in a palazzo and having good wine – sounded good to us! It turns out that the restaurant is owned by the Antorini family, which is famous for its wines – and they actually still live in the palazzo. We had a wonderful lunch with fabulous “house” wine.

Santa Maria Novella

Next up – Santa Maria Novella church. I didn’t take pictures inside San Croce because I was so absorbed in the moment, so I made up for it at Santa Maria Novella. As you can see, it is stunning. We have become art nerds since being here and follow the artists around almost like rock stars, viewing their works. So today we were super excited to see Donatello, Lippi, Brunelleschi (our fave), and Vasari – names we didn’t really know too much about this time last month.

The Cat & the Fox

And finally, we ended the day at a place that is absolutely perfect for us – il Gatto e la Volpe – The Cat and the Fox. My initials are CAT (and everyone at work calls me CAT).  Frank’s last name is Volpe, which means fox in Italian. So it was like the restaurant was created for us! It was a fun and lively place full of art students and even a monsignor sitting at the bar. It is on our list to go back.

Next up – we are taking a little road trip and heading south to Naples for a few days. Stay tuned . . . .

Sunday was forecast to be rainy and cold, so we decided to take the day off. Then the sun peaked out, so we opted to venture out for lunch and strike out to a new neighborhood – around San Croce. There was a church there that looked pretty from the outside but didn’t seem as high up on the guidebook’s “must see” list. But we figured we could at least say we saw it.

Lunch in the Neighborhood . . .

The neighborhood turned out to be just what we love – full of locals just living – families walking dogs, parents pushing strollers, and couples lazing about in the sun. We chose an outdoor cafe (with heat lamps) and joined them.

. . . and an Amazing Church

It turned out the church was open so we figured, what the heck, we’re here – let’s look in. Wow. We ended up renting the audioguide and spending several hours. It turns out that this church – that is way down the “must see” list in the guidebooks – is the burial place for Galileo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Rossini, among many other famous Florentines. And there were plenty of stories to go with each. For example:

– Michelangelo died in Rome, and they wanted to keep him. So his nephew snuck down there, stole the body, and wrapped it in rags to ferry it back to Florence, where he received a state funeral and was laid to rest at San Croce.

– Galileo took longer to get there because the church would not bury him in the actual sanctuary due to what they deemed his radical scientific theories that seemed to question the its teachings (mainly that the Earth revolved around the Sun, rather than the other way around).

The two rival families of Florence also had elaborate chapels built inside – the Medicis and the Pazzis. It turns out the Pazzis schemed to destroy the Medicis and sent someone to kill the Medici brothers at Easter Sunday Mass at the Duomo across from our apartment. The assassin succeeded in fatally stabbing one brother, while the other brother escaped. The crowd was so angry, it literally tore the killer limb from limb – all this in the church by our house! And you can see why the two rival families might need separate chapels.

But Brrr . . .

We also learned that churches in Florence are not heated. We were freezing by the time we left but didn’t want to stop learning. It took us the rest of the night to warm back up!

So, in lieu of dinner out, we opted to grab a mix of Italian antipasti at the local market and eat in – we feasted on alice (little marinated fish), polpo (octopus), prosciutto (ham), olives, and polenta cakes. Washed down with the wine from the leather store – see prior post. : ) We are really getting into the spirit of things here!

You are probably wondering why I took a picture of the sidewalk – if you look closely, you will see a face.  And it is the face of a famous Florentine author who was the center of our sightseeing today – Alighieri Dante.

We became real tourists and took the “Inferno” tour – based on the bestselling book by Dan Brown (which they are turning into a movie starring Tom Hanks).  We had read it a couple of years ago and thought would be a good way to see a number of sites.  It was fabulous!  What a fun way to learn history. Our guide started at the beginning and told us the actual story, weaving in the real history of the place as well. [By the way, the company we used was Florencetown, and I would highly recommend.]

Palazzo Vecchio (the “Old Palace”)

If you have read the book, you remember that Robert Langdon starts his run through Florence through the Boboli Gardens and across the Vasari Corridor (which we saw earlier in the week). So this tour picked up at his next stop – the Palazzo Vecchio. This was the home to the Medicis before Pitti Place. It had never looked especially interesting to me from the outside – but boy was I wrong. It was breathtaking inside.

The Palace includes amazing reception rooms with original frescoes and sculpture, the apartments of the Medici family, and even secret passageways. We got to see some of the highlights from the Dan Brown book, including the Hall of 500 and the death mask of Dante – kind of spooky. We also toured the Map Room, which has secret doors behind some of the maps and was where the hero of the book escaped.

Seek & Ye Shall Find

My favorite story (in real life – not from the book) – the Council of Florence selected Leonardo di Vinci to paint a fresco in the Hall of 500 (see very big room above).  He used a new technique, mixing paint with wax to make it shinier. unfortunately, the paint eventually melted.

So, about 50 years later, the Medici family hired another artist – Giorgio Vasari (of Corridor fame) to paint over it. He hated to paint over Da Vinci, even if it was unrecognizable, so he built a wall over the original wall, leaving less an inch of space, and painted his own fresco on the new wall (painting on right above). As you can see, the painting is huge and depicts a battle scene. On a battle flag near the top, too small to see from the floor, are letters Cerce Trove – in Italian – Seek and Find. Well, no one knew anything about Leonardo or why Vasari would have painted that message until only a couple of years ago. National Geographic was studying the Vasari painting and noticed little holes in it. They realized there was a fake wall, so they sent a probe into the space between the walls and discovered the Leonardo painting. So the meaning of Vasari’s secret message about what was hidden behind the wall was left undiscovered for over nearly 500 years!

Dante & Beatrice

Next, we went to the church where Dante worshipped.  In the book, Robert Langdon goes there to try to find a copy of Dante’s “Divine Comedy.” This is the church where Dante first fell in love with Beatrice, whom he loved all his life, even though they were both married. Beatrice is supposedly buried there and there is a basket where people leave letters to her full of their own lost love stories, hoping Beatrice may intervene.

Baptistery & Duomo

Finally, we made our way to the Baptistery and Duomo, which are in our neck of the woods and we can see from our apartment. These are amazing buildings both inside and out – full of intricate marble, mosaics, and frescoes.  The domes are my favorite part – on the left is the Baptistery and the right the Duomo of the big cathedral.  These were important in the book because they depict the judgment of Christ – where some make it to Heaven and some to the many layers of the alternative, as Dante wrote about in his “Divine Comedy.”

We are touring the Duomo next week – you can even climb to the top – 463 steps!  You’ll have to check back to see if we make it.

* * *

Thus was the end of Robert Langdon’s journey in Florence – in the book, his next stop is Venice – just like us!

Well, Frank and I surprised even ourselves with our latest day out on the town. Our plan was to have lunch at a cute little cafe and spend the afternoon at a museum.

Cantinetta del Varrazzano

The cafe – the Cantinetta del Verrazzano – is a bakery specializing in focaccia and owned by a family that is famous for its wines. It only has 4 little marble-topped tables in a narrow space, and we were super lucky to snag the table by the window. It was a rainy and cold day, so very romantic and cozy. We had a glass of Verrazzano Chianti and shared an assortment of facaccia finger sandwiches and Tuscan prosciutto.

And then  . . . 

As we stepped back outside and I was taking a picture of the cafe (above), a man standing on the street asked how we liked it. He and Frank struck up a conservation and turns out the man, Gianni, owned a leather good store on the same block. (Of course – I’m sure he completely saw us coming all the way from our window seat in the cute little cafe.) He told us that this leather company is small and is all in the family – 35 of them working in the hills of Tuscany designing and hand-sewing these jackets. He asked where we were from and told us that his business does trunk shows in DC each year (which did turn out to be true – at the Willard no less).

He said, “Let me just give you my card – come with me.” Well, that was our downfall. We politely followed him into his store, and he gave us his card. His “cousin” appeared and started taking down leather jackets and saying just to try. I have never really liked leather jackets (on me at least) so was not all that excited but did try one on. Meanwhile, Frank and Gianni were laughing about Italian stories and paying no attention. Then Gianni says, “Let’s all have some wine” and pours us all glasses of Chianti “from my family’s vineyard.” And his cousin keeps bringing down jackets for me to try on.

Long story short – I am now the proud owner of a beautiful blue leather trench coat style jacket – “an original designed by my aunt,” according to Gianni. See pictures below. Gianni even threw in a bottle of his family’s famous wine. (Needless to say, we never made it to the museum.)

And tonight, Frank and I are dining at the restaurant that is owned by Gianni’s “friend since we were bambini.” He called and made reservations for us right in the store. That Gianni is a very good salesman – Mamma Mia!

Epilogue: We did go to the restaurant – Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco (Restaurant of the White Boar). It was fabulous and one of our best experiences so far. It is on the Oltrarno (other side of Arno River) and had a line out the door. But our reservations said “Gianni, 2 Ameicano VIP” so we had a prime table waiting. Their specialty is boar – I had a grilled boar steak and Frank had pasta with boar. They even brought us grappa at the end – and we merrily made our way back home.