nick wanted to help. but a nap was calling his name

So i think i mentioned, thursday we enjoyed the sun

Friday

After working in the morning and part of the afternoon we went on a walk and i took pictures of random things (as always).

random architectural detail

creepy faces

windows below ground

and the occasional condom machine (so i don't know why you'd need that pregnancy test as these are common)

We went to see the soap monks (Chiesa di Santa Anna)

(they also make various liquors)

The church wasn't big by any means, but it isquite pretty.

this bay was being restored

my favorite bay, its not fluted, its strips of black and white marble

I made Claire stand there for scale, it was a tiny confessional

Back at the Villa, 

cool staircase in the random courtyard off the library

same random courtyard

going out he library the other way into the garden (i'll do a spread of the garden another day)

view from my & katie's balcony at night

So for today (saturday) i have no pictures as i am sick. I spent the day sleeping or working on autoCAD. The others planned to go to the beach, but Alison was sick to her stomach (which katie has deemed a weird phrase) so they worked/read and went into town this afternoon. They found cookies & candy at the market, so Katie brought me some to help me get well  and Alison shared some of her cookies as well.

So internet was really bad in Florence and we didn't know the computer password in Genoa until today. Anyway, the trip to Genoa was cool. I switched trains at Pisa, no time to visit but i did document.

Then alot of the trip was in tunnels through the mountains with brief view like this

Finally Genoa. First the view from my terrace.

The first night we explored the villa, which is huge. We (katie and i at least) had tons of fun going through the supply closet of things left by past students. Some of the things we found included: pregnancy tests

 Laxatives

the bay of tampons, there was a similar one of qtips

Yesterday was our tour of the city lead by Frances....
Churches,

 favorite grocery stores,

offices of familiar names

 shopping areas

 random cool buildings

Today we had our first lunch cooked at the villa

and i had a chat with some of the villa's permanent residents.

uphill both ways

This will have to count for yesterday and today. I was too tired yesterday.

So i'm attempting to go to things i didn't see last time i was here. Yesterday I went to Boboli Gardens. I don't know how this is possible, but i was walking uphill the entire time. So first you walk up here. nothing right?

and you get to see this

but then you climb this

which is mostly those stupid step/ramp things. they're long steps that ramp up.... hell on the ankles. the view from the top though...

andrew kohr would be so proud.

 further up, there is this.

and looking out

i wandered though the garden for hours so more pics to come later. but this computer hates me so..

also saw the Ponti Vecchio 

On to today. Decided to take it easy. This morning i went to the Galileo Museum with Jill. We got to see Galileo's finger (several of them actually) they keep them in a jar (i'll spare you those pictures). I took a siesta. And decided absolutely no climbing, I'd just walk to the Piazza Michelangelo.... which is higher up than Boboli.... more stupid stairs.

here's Boboli in the distance

the view from the top

and where Hunley the monkey and I ate dinner