Hazy Shade of Late Spring/Early Summer

I arrived at Georgetown's Villa le Balze yesterday at about 12:30 while everyone was eating lunch. I was exhausted and desperately wanted to shower and unpack, but got a rousing greeting in the dining room that cheered me up considerably. Class was a little difficult, as I was close to asleep during most of it, but I rallied and not only took notes but also followed a group up to Fiesole afterward. The Villa is basically located on the side of a mountain and reminds me of the little blue house that is perched halfway between our farm in NC and the rockface above it, only here they call what we're on a "hill". Fiesole is up the hill, and Florence is down the hill.

At the Villa we sleep with all the windows open. I had forgotten how loud birds can be in the morning! It was wonderful to wake up to a chorus of birdsongs rather than car horns. CD, MR, and I think we have the best room - it is on a corner, so we have four huge windows in the bedroom, which gives us views out over Florence and the Villa's gardens. It also creates a nice breeze through the room so that we barely have to turn on our fan at all. Even our bathroom has a beautiful view. Actually, every room in the Villa is beautiful and has a beautiful view. Downstairs, between the library and dining room, is a music room/library continuation - a grand piano surrounded by old books that looks out over Florence. So far it is my favorite place inside here.

Today after our morning class session and lunch we are going on a walking tour of Florence, as we are scheduled to do every Wednesday. I have not really seen Florence yet, but have read several novels in preparation, and I am excited to see what it is like. Most things I have read tell me that, in comparison with Rome, Florence is dark and narrow and made up of all stones. That's what I thought Rome was like, though, and when I rode through part of Florence on my way "up the hill" I thought it was bright and open and made up of all stones. I guess we'll see -