Calm After the Storm...

Can you believe that this is what I saw on Saturday afternoon? I feel so blessed! After my friends left Firenze for their Austrian holiday, I walked back to the center, dug out my camera, put on my Bean Boots (thank goodness for LL Bean!) and hiked up to Piazzale Michelangelo. The boots were a serious help--other people knew how unforgettable the view would be, but italiani in this part of the country aren't used to snow, so people were having a hard time walking, especially up the hill. Even though it was hard to walk up, it was worth every bit of effort. Everything was absolutely gorgeous! For more pictures, check out my album on facebook (here). Not only was everything beautiful, but everyone was so happy and goodnatured--I went shopping for Christmas presents after my picture-taking adventure, and it was so much fun. Everyone had a story about the storm that they were dying to share! Everyone had their cameras out, too, so I didn't feel like a tourist in my own city. And spontaneous snowball fights were everywhere, as were snowmen, snowwomen, and snowfamilies... So festive and fun! This was definitely an "I love Italia" day. I can't believe I LIVE here. And I love how I find something new to love almost every day.