Florence Italy
Day 1
|
The sunflower field
We woke up early this morning to get packing as we were all eager to move on to the next place, Florence. We got onto the bus and headed off, not realizing the curving roads that we would encounter on our drive over and through the Alps. The view was that of breathtaking cliffs and little towns but it did a number on some of our stomachs (Katelyn).
We stopped along the way at this gorgeous little town to give the driver, brakes, and passengers a break. We did not realize though the speed of Italian restaurants (the food was fast, the check wasn't).
We met our hosts at the exit of the highway as we needed them to lead the way through the back roads, but the roads of Italy were not really built with the intention of a large Mercedes bus. We barely made it through an almost 180 degree turn only to then hold up most of the traffic and an ambulance. We didn't really make a lot of new Italian friends on that road.
We then arrived at our new home, which is the Florence Bible School, which teaches English through the Bible. Our rooms are very nice and it seems cooler here than in Ravenna.
Our next excursion was to the Harding University Florence villa, where there are 46 students studying here from Arkansas. They were very welcoming and served us a wonderful dinner of chicken, potatoes, salad, bread, and fruit. They are very used to pasta, and so the thought of chicken and potatoes was something very special.
The concert came immediately after dinner and we had to set up and get changed into kilt. While we were waiting to process, we met some 12 year old Italian children who were very interested in us and wanted to try to converse in the little English that they knew. It was a new experience for everyone, but everyone seemed to enjoy meeting and learning about the new people.
The concert was originally scheduled for 8:00, but we adjusted to the 9:00 plan with little trouble. We eventually began around 9:25 - not bad for Italy! At the concert, we had a massive audience of about 150 people who all seemed very interested in our bells and were very impressed with our music. It was really exciting to play for people who have never seen a handbell team before. They all came up to congratulate us even though we could not understand. To change the mood entirely though, a teenage rock group came on playing Green Day and Blink 182, and the audience seemed to love them too.
Finally, we had to have the Italian standard end to an evening of more gelato. We went with some of the students from Harding that came to our concert. It was a wonderful start to our time in Florence.
Day 2
|
A quick bite to eat for breakfast at the local "BAR"
We began the day with a quick trip to the bar (that what they call the a breakfast pastry shop in Italy) where we enjoyed numerous sweet treats. After breakfast we mimicked the native Italians and took the public bus into the city of Florence.
Once we reached the city, the group split into small groups to explore the city. We scoured the open air markets for souvenirs and other memorabilia. Many chose to visit the city's cathedral, the Duomo, that was constructed in the thirteenth century and continues to add the the charm of Florence.
There were many interesting stories about the interactions we had in the market in downtown. Josh got hassled by someone selling leather jackets, telling him that he looked just like Will Smith when he put his jacket on. Most of the retailers were very outgoing, and eager to sell their goods to American tourists
In the evening we re-entered the city to play a concert at St. Mark's Anglican Church. We were let off at the main entrance to this ancient town, then we had to carry our hanger bags and bells about 5 miles through the town's narrow streets to the church. The bells sounded magnificent in the church, however, we learned to not expect a big crowd on the night of the big soccer game. The tables were a notable contrivance - 3 round tables, 2 small wooden tables, 2 large wrought iron gratings, 6 bell cases, 2 chime cases and various kneelers and pew coverings.
For dinner we ate pizza and pasta. Blake and Liz Moore learned the hard way that it can be quite risky ordering from a menu that you don't understand. Their anchovy calzone and bean-topped sandwich are a testament to that.
On the way home we stopped in the park just in time to witness two goals in the Italy vs. Ukraine soccer game. The Italians celebrated by driving down the street honking their horns, and yelling. It was very exciting!
Day 3
|
Now that is some bling
We were all up bright and early and went to the same " bar" to get pastries in the morning. Then we were off onto the public bus to go down to visit downtown Florence again.
In downtown Florence, many ringers saw the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio, and San Croce (Church of the Cross). The ringers were on their own for lunch, and many of them enjoyed food at local pizzerias and cafes.
Many ringers were relieved to have some downtime to rest back in the Bible School. While some people played cards, others went to the Laundromat, and others went to the grocery.
I think many ringers would agree that the Parco Demidoff 4th of July party made for the most fun night of the tour. It was a barbeque catered by none other then McDonald's. Many ringers took advantage of the all you can eat meal, and filled their bellies completely. Next, the concert.
We learned the meaning of "Italian" time when our 6:45 concert kept on getting pushed back and finally started at 8:45. Mr. Pinkerton began to worry when the director of the party didn't want us to play in a shaded area because he didn't think there would be enough light, at 6:45!! The concert was by far the best concert we played yet, and the audience really responded to the music. By the end, the crowd was clapping along to our finale, Radetzky March.
At the end of the concert many individuals came up to give us and extra thank you and congratulations. A young kid came up to Liz Peters and explained how much he liked her piece, and a woman requested that the whole team listen to her congratulations and thank you. It was really touching to know how much the audience appreciated our music.
When we were done ringing, we took part in some of the festivities at the party. We played students from Harding University in volleyball, and enjoyed the music from the rock band that played Jimmy Hendrix and Leonard Skynard.
Tomorrow we will be up and out of the Bible School by 6:30 in order to be in Rome to be ready to play at an 11:00 church service.