A short photo-essay

Our apartment is a twenty minute walk from campus. Since I teach at 8:30, I've been making this walk just as the sky brightens and the streetlights go off.

The view to the right as I walk out our front door onto Borgo Allegri. I turn, however, left, and then another left at Piazza Ciompfi, where I am greeted with

Brunelleschi's dome at sunrise! I turn right onto Via dei Pepi

Notice the street lights are off now -- unfortunate in this stone canyon of a medieval street. I turn left onto Via dei Pilastri, which turns into Via deli Alfani, a wider, brighter and busier street. I stop to have my morning cappuccino here

I like this bar. It is friendly, and at this time in the morning, entirely Italian. From the counter, I can see into the closet kitchen and watch the woman making panini for the afternoon. At the next intersection, if I look right, I see

If I look left, I see

(I took these pictures on my way home in the afternoon -- thus the difference in lighting. Oddly, there was too much traffic in the morning for me to dawdle in the intersection, while at 12:30, as you can see, there are almost no cars.) Then a right onto Via Ricasoli, where I walk past the Acadamia, the museum that houses the David.

Barely recognizable without the lines, the carts selling David themed boxer shorts, and the poster sellers with their wares displayed on the street. Finally, I cross Piazza San Marco, and stroll past the Giardino della Gherardesca, designed by Michaelangelo.

Campus and my hungover still drunk eager students are waiting! (Actually, that last joke is entirely unfounded. I expected my students to be constantly inebriated, but so far, I have seen no signs. Instead, they seem remarkably engaged, sharp, and open minded. They are making me intensely happy. I wonder how long it will last?)