Dear Friends,
Two years have gone by and as we all know, they have been totally new and unknown for us. I think that most of us, thankfully, have not lived through a war and although Covid has not been a war as such, at times it certainly has felt like it. Many things have been difficult, indeed disastrous, but the lockdown, had aspects that at least we, cherished. Perhaps it’s our, age…a certain calmness and humanity about life. We would go for walks (when allowed) and people really wanted to reach out and be friendly, like we were all sharing a trial and that closeness might help.
Another of the aspects that will remain in our eyes and hearts was Florence, completely deserted. Like a scene from The day After…partly terrifying but partly stunning.
And this we thought we would share with you, so many of which have come here on trips organized by us, battling to get into the Uffizi Gallery and avoid the lines, or crossing the Cathedral square trying not to be pick-pocketed by the odd gypsy…
So come and share in that Florence for just a moment, knowing that those times are thankfully behind us but at least for us, never to be erased from our eyes.
Tommaso who lives in the centre, captured the Piazza della Signoria with the wind as the only accompanying sound and some magnificent photos of the Cathedral Square completely empty of people. As a demonstration of the community spirit that seemed to have enveloped everyone, some child had left his beloved toy horse, under a tabernacle with the Madonna, as though giving up his all so we could all be saved. Let us not forget that those were the days when scores of coffins were seen filing out of hospitals in Bergamo, north of Milan.
This does not want to be a sad post, indeed it is a joyful and hopeful one to remind us all of beauty, and how lucky we are for all the life and joy we have in our hearts and lives.
The next post will be jollier, promise ;)
