This is not our first visit. In 2002-3 I completed an Open University degree course in Humanities with Art History by writing a paper on Last Suppers in Florentine Refectories. I still have the text (posted as a page on this blog, but needs more work on the layout) but many of the photos were stuck in on paper; this was before the days of easy electronic copies of photos. In 2003, we made several visits in order to see the Last Suppers in various convents and churches in the city. I also did a Study Tour to Padua, Siena and Florence, and Richard joined us during the trip. I don't think my tutor realised that I had taken many of the photos myself. However I got 70 percent for the paper, which was a Good Pass or something - typical modest UK marking.
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| The facade of Santa Maria Novella |
We visited Florence also in 2003 with the Newtons to celebrate Joan's 70th birthday, and I remember we bought her a print of the city. The first visit for Richard and me was in the summer of 1982, before we got married, when Richard and I drove from Pisa to Florence, Rome and Sorrento. Italy won the World Cup in the summer of 1982, and Richard broke his glasses during that visit, so his parking after that was on a par with the Italian drivers. We also revisited with Matthew and Laura in April 1996, according to a photo taken at the top of the Campanile.
