Grey and Overcast

Thus far our stay in the Tuscany area of Italy has been very foggy. Foggy, as in misty, moisty mornings and afternoons and... Our host, Mark, is rather annoyed with the weather. He doesn't enjoy all the fog. It was mentioned in an earlier blog post that this area was formerly a lake hence the propensity for fog so I assumed that this is normal but not so says Mark. So I guess our lovely sunny Christmas Day here was normal and I thought it a gift!
We have been enjoying our laidback Christmas. This location is our longest stay in one place and I find I really like not moving so frequently. It takes some of the pressure off to accomplish a reasonable amount of sightseeing and still be able to have down time. Time off, we knew from the outset this would be important, especially for the younger ones, and as the weeks fly by, it is becoming even more necessary as we are nearing our limit to what we can absorb. Even I am wearing thin. Italy was not one of the countries I was too keen on spending a huge amount of time in and here we are, going to spend the most time of any one country here!
Driving in Italy was one of my keenest dreads from what I read online and I am happy to say it has gone well for me so far. True, Al has done all of the driving in the most difficult situations but I did summon all my courage and venture out on my own with the children and have lived to tell the story.
Today, December 28, we ventured into the nearby city of Pistoia. It is not a huge city, maybe about like Lancaster? Our host advised us that to do much in the 'old town' part of the city to just park at the train station and walk to destinations. That might give you a bit of perspective on the size. Today we had about a fifteen to twenty minute walk to the Capella del Tau (a chapel art gallery). Unfortunately it was closed so we kept walking. Next was the Piazza della Sala (a market area) and most of that was shuttered for the day. There was one fruit and vegetable stall still open. One can find the most interesting things at these markets! I would be inclined to try many things if this was in my district (PA) but alas, here I just look, enjoy, and puzzle my brain as to what some of this stuff is.

As we walked on we passed this sturdy looking zebra. I love the alternating black and white marble look. I have no idea what the building is for. I don't think it is a cathedral.

The next destination was Piazza del Duomo. The Duomo was closed, the Baptistry was closed. When we enquired at a gelateria on the corner, the girl wasn't sure why everything was closed on that piazza but she mentioned Chiesa di Sant'Andrea would be open. So we walked on. From the outside it didn't look too promising. In fact, it was so unimpressive I didn't even think to take a photo of it. We rather timidly approached the huge oak doors and tested it. It was open so we slipped into the dim interior feeling like trespassers as no one else was around, although the signs in Italian assured us there were surveillance videos in effect.
As far as cathedrals go, and we have seen quite a few, it was not wow worthy. But it did have one notable feature that it wasn't until we were home that we found out what we were looking at. There was an enormous something part way up the nave and I thought it looked like a baptismal font but one would need a stepladder to reach it so it didn't seem too likely. Reading later I found it was the pulpit. And the unique feature is that it is carved out of a single piece of marble. Fantastically carved I might add. When I study the picture I find that it is a bit of an exaggeration to say one piece as the columns appear to be red marble and the balance is white marble. But who am I to say that marble doesn't sometimes come like that?

Next stop was to be the Ospedale del Ceppo, a hospital museum. For some reason, Google decided it was to be in the center of some large parking lot rather off track so we did some significant extra walking in the cold, but fortunately I had caught a glimpse of where we were heading earlier so we retraced our steps and found it on our own. The 'tour' would not start for another 50 minutes so we decided to come back another day, stop for some icecream at the gelateria with the helpful young lady (who spoke English very well), and go home.
As we walked passed the Baptistry again it was open! so we poked our heads in there for a moment. Not much remarkable there, in fact I could rather agree with my youngest's assessment of most things, boring. As we turned to go we thought we saw the door ajar into the Duomo, it was open too so we went in. (I am sorry I don't have a more complete pic of the exterior)

In the basement there was set up an all white town recreation of the story of Jesus birth. Quaint, but fun to watch the light show/music they had arranged with it. It seemed like quite a popular attraction and I get the feeling that occasions like this might be part of the few ways children and adults alike are taught the christmas story.

After a tasty treat of icecream on a frigid day, we went home. Via the grocery store. Always fun to stop there and pick out food for the next couple days. We had hotdogs for supper. Yes, hotdogs in Italy! I think it might be the first time we had hotdogs since last summer. And of all the exquisite Italian cuisine we might have partaken of, we chose hotdogs! Lol!
Ah! and now to cozy up to our laughing fire on a grey and overcast evening.