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6 Feb 1960

My dearest Sweetheart

A cherry good morning to you from beautiful Florence. Im writing this in bed
to keep warm and in shear darkness to let Bridge sleep so please pardon the
legibility. We staying here in a cheap hotel about a block from the railraod
station in the direction of the old part of Florence. Florence is physically much
smaller than Rome so that its pretty easy to walk to the most distant point
of interest which in fact we did yesterday.

We arrived about 11:30 found a hotel and left our luggage then
immediately found a place for lunch. It was moderately priced: spaghetti
bread roast beef and potatoes an orange and wine for $1. After lunch
we set out for sight seeing. We came to a couple of churches which were
closed during lunch time. We went then to the Duomo the city's huge cathedral
built form 1296-1436. The outside of it is almost gingerbread-like with
use of black and white and red marble in a sort of striped effect. Inside it is
quite different basically Gothic with base walls the usual 3 sections in
the nave but with a few windows (some very lovely stained glass here) and
some scrolly cormie work to disturb the unity. The church is second is size
only to St. Peters of Rome and being so bare seems a little like an empty
warehouse until you get down near the alters and see the stained glass windows.
At the side is a beautiful delicate looking campanile designed by Giotto.
Across the street the baptistry with some fine medical mosaics on the domed
ceiling inside and with the exquisite Ghiberting bronze sculptured "Doors of Paradise"
on 3 sides. Leaving the baptistry we decided to just walk around for a while.
We went to Piazza della Signora and saw the old Vecchio Palace a very medieval
looking structure built around 1300 with a lovely peaceful florentine Renaissance
count within. We walked in to the Arno River and Along its bank to the Ponte
Vecchio and old bridge lined with fine Jewelry shops and very famous spot
in Florence. We strolled on across the view up to Pitti Palace a mammoth
structure about 200 yards long built of huge stones. From here we went
back along the river and climbed up to Piazzale Michelangelo from which there is
a splendid view of Florence and the Amo Valley. We were there just at sundown
so I may get an Italian sunset ye. We then went down and across the river
to the church of Santa Croce where all the tombs of most of the famous Italians-
Machiavelli Dalileo Michelangelo DiVinci Celline the Medicis and many others.
Here we (MAC and I of course met Mridge and MJE to eat dinner together.
We found a pizzeria and each had 1 1/2 pizzas and 2 or 3 glasses of red wine.
This was enough to get both girls gay and high so Bridge and I more or less guided
them home with many interceptions protests of "I cant walk" stopped to lean
against buildings etc. We probably convinced Florence of how crazy Americans
are. Anyway we got to bed by 10:30 and I've finally had 8 hours in one night.

Today we'll see several art galleries and just walk around some more.
Were all 8 meeting (oh there are 3 other kids and Herr Zimmerman here with us)
at the Uffizi galleries in one hour so I must get going. Thought I haven't said
it before this darling today at least I love very much and miss you an awful
lot. I am counting the days too and they cant go quickly enough. Good night sweetheart
and dreams of our love.

Always and forever Yours George