10 07 Wednesday

After my normal morning of coffee and croissant i walked across the river to an area called  San Niccolo.  I stopped to have the 2nd part of breakfast  at a fancy new place. I asked in italian for what I wanted, she replied in English that I could talk to her in English, I replied  in Italian that I was learning Italian and would like to keep trying in Italia. Certainly, she replied in Italain. She charged €3.50  (AUD 5.60)  for a cappuccino and a large piece of apple strudel (!i have seen this in several fancy places, the in thing). Excellent value.. As an aside to today's ramblings, I have realised that I have not been eating enough protein. Last time I think that I had anything to chew on was rather small bit of rabbit stew I had in Malta.  A bit of bolonaise sauce in the lasagne yesterday. 

T today's aim was to walk up the hill  to the south  of Florence to a church called San Miniato Al Monte. I walked up  to a gate in the old wall built in 1266  and the oldest still surviving. . And up and up and got to a place called piazzale de Michelangelo,  a large parking place for cars and tour buses ( I counted 6) and lots of people  admiring the view of Florence and the surrounding countryside. then more up and up to the church.  All around the church is a cemetery,  with many many rows of  tiny little houses for the rich and famous, going back to late 1800s. The facade of the church was started in 1090 ., but the church was built over the Shrine of St Minias in 1018 . He was an Armenian merchant who was beheaded for his christian beliefs.  Inside the church is quite small and plain and considered one of the most unspoiled Romanesque churches in Tuscany,

There is an interesting Byzantine style mosaic in the roof of the apse. Underneath in the crypt there is another small altar and some seating and pillars made of out of scrounged roman villas.

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I walked down, down, down and found  a hole in the wall that actually opened out into several rooms where I got a plate of cheap, delicious pasta for lunch. I was looking for meat but gave up. There were no other females, only work men . But a very clean toilet.

Today was the furthest I have walked  -  11