I can't say it enough: life is all about the little things.
I doesn't matter how many times I repeat that line to myself I often find myself forgetting that small bit of wisdom (actually...not just often, but quite honestly, most of the time).
I find that it's the little things that make us realize how living in one country is different than living in another country. It's not just that you may be surrounded by people speaking a different language, use a different currency, drive on a different side of the road, live in a different time zone, or maybe even live in a different hemisphere; but rather it's about the little things. And here are MY little things.
Who ever said that you can't go for a walk AND get an education at the same time? Once one ventures outside of the immediate downtown area of Florence the street names tend to have names of people, historical people that had a significance, or have a significance to that country, to that city or even to that particular neighborhood. And here in lays the enjoyment and the education. As noticed by the above photo not only are the street signs made of marble (oh how the art historian in me LOVES this!), but they include the following information: name, profession and dates of birth and death. Every time I pass one of these street signs, I quickly sort through all the information I posses and see if I remember or know the person in question. To my disappointment most of the time the answer is "no." But that doesn't discourage me, I quickly make a mental note to go home and find out who they all are.
Pietro Pacrazi was born in Cortona 1893 and died in Florence December 26, 1952. He was a student of Italian literature, published various books, not only narratives but also poetry, and contributed to various newspapers most notably the Corriere della Sera; a national publication that was founded in 1876 and today distributes more than 500,000 copies a day. I feel educated.
