TO MARKET, TO MARKET

In Florence there are two main markets that are open daily to supply the pantry's of the locals. Today, our last day, we visited the Mercato Centrale. It is a covered food market, packed with stalls offering fruit, vegetables, fish, cheese, bread and as you can see a variety of interesting meats. We were amazed there isn't any part of the pig that isn't on display in the various stalls. Want an ear or nose for your stew--no problem, even intestines were readily available, we weren't quite sure for what. Not once have we seen anything that resembles what we saw at the market in any restaurant. Well maybe there were unidentifiable bits in the sopressata that filled our sandwich one day, but aside from that, no trotters, snouts or ears have been visible on any plate that we've seen!

While in Florence we've eaten more pizza in three weeks then in all the years we've known each other! More pizza even then gelatto! Every Enoteca, lunch spot and wine bar features the pizza in all it forms. From a plain margherita to something piled high with salad, veggies and meat of all sorts. Our favourite, and most expensive, was one that featured pecorino cheese and wild boar salami. That with a glass of Chianti Classico and we're set for the day! How will we ever be satisfied with the product we buy from Whole Foods???

As we prepare to leave this city, we're filling up with a last bite of cheese, nibbling on the wonderful foccacia we turned up in a small neighbourhood shop and wondering what delights await us as we head further south. It's been a three week adventure. One filled with incredible art, tasty food and learning about a culture that has surprised us in new ways, gotten us into a couple of real "pasticcios" (big trouble) and made us smile as we watched the interactions of the locals (especially the men); connected with travelers from all over the world especially Canadians and delighted in the sounds of our local church bells to keep the rhythm of our days.