An early morning hike through the Tuscan Hills.

Today began early, with far too little coffee! Note to self; never start a hike on just one espresso! The route I had intended to take actually ended up becoming much longer, as I wandered up in the hills above Florence, passing through one of the original arched entrances to the city, and following the cobbled road made by the early Romans. I passed by Gallileo's home, skirted enormous villas, and took in some breathtaking views of Florence, the Duomo shining in the distance. It was quiet so early on the morning; few people were even heading to work yet. But after two hours of trekking, I was ready for my second espresso! I made my way back to the city center, the morning traffic increasing steadily. Espresso in Italy is so different than in the U.S. It's very smooth, with none of the bitterness you get if you order it in America. Italians often add sugar, then gulp it down standing up, in one to two swallows. I've become rather fond of it drunk that way; it reminds me a great deal of the Arabic coffee throughout the middle east, but Arabs sit to drink theirs, and often linger over their coffee (the men anyway!) for hours. They would think the Italian method of drinking coffee a bit barbaric! The afternoon was hotter than blazes, so after venturing out to wander the streets a bit, I retreated indoors where it's much cooler to rest before heading out for a late dinner in the cool of the evening. Dinner was a traditional Italian meal in a noisy, packed trattoria with Italian being spoken fortissimo and plates and bottles clattering from the back kitchen. The waiter was a deLightful character, who basically told me what to order! It was all delicious. I'm very glad to be walking every day or I really would weigh a ton after this trip!