Bonnie and I enjoy the art of getting lost in Italian cities. Just as making mistakes leads to knowledge, getting lost leads to discoveries. It is especially fun because the cities we've explored have no straight streets, so they often turn back on themselves and you find out that rather than being a long way from where you started, you are just around the corner. Yesterday, we set out to find the big Saturday market, which we never found. Our usual friend and guide Signore iphone let us down. It wasn't enjoyable since I'm nursing a sore ankle which I injured last summer and now it comes and goes. The uneven surfaces of Italian streets and sidewalks can be very problematic and irritating to my poor ankle. It is great fun to get lost, get hungry and then stumble on a treasure of Italian life, the trattoria. Since we had worked our way across quite a few neighborhoods, we took a cab home. Sometimes one must give in to discomfort. I will be taking it easy for the next few days and sticking to our neighborhood, which is not at all a sacrifice. We are one block from the world famous Uffizzi Gallery, and since we are entering a period of rain showers for several days to come, it will make sense to visit galleries. Lunch today was interesting. Since I need to be gentle with my ankle, we ate at a place that we have walked by several times that is just around the corner. We've looked over the menu posted outside, but today was the day for entering. It is Sunday and the ristorante was full of families. We got a little table in an alcove next to the front door with a view of the street and of other would be diners checking out the offerings. I love to watch people so this was a perfect place for me. Directly across the street, which at most was 10', was a little bottega that for some reason has fascinated me since I bought some wine and cheese there a few days ago. I really don't know why I am fixated on the place, but I am. So, I had the best time during our lunch, looking at the small, closed on sunday, shop. It is run by a couple who are probably in their mid forties. It was easy to imagine it as being passed down to them since the sign said specializing in foods of the region since 1954. I don't know whether they live upstairs, but my mind wanted that to be, so it was. There were two windows above the shop, with open green shutters facing the street. In my imagination, Niccolo, the husband sat in a ribbed tank top reading the paper as his mother who lived with them and his wife labored over the Sunday meal. As I said, I have no idea where this fantasy is coming from, but it is recurring and fascinating. But, there is much more to look at beyond my fantasy shop keepers. How about the nice looking local woman who steps out of the restaurant for a smoke as she inhales her cigarette in gulps to satisfy what must be an overwhelming need for nicotine. Or maybe the 4 children who have been allowed to go out and play while their family waits inside for their food. After having lots of energetic fun outside, they race back into the restaurant, screeching with joy until one of the waiters apprehends them and gives a strong warning of dire things to come unless they quiet down. Even better, the young newlyweds, at the table next to us. My guess is that they were from out of town and on a honeymoon in romantic Florence. They were right next to us and their eyes were sparkling with love and hope. Every now and then, the pretty bride would look down at her hand and admire her new ring. As she did, her already glowing face would light up even more. They were full of hope and promise for their future life together. When we were ordering, we had a funny moment with the waiter and the young marrieds, at my expense. Why not, laughter is free and contagious. I had decide on ordering zuppa cavalo, which translated to soup with black cabbage. When the soup arrived, the black cabbage was kale. Anyway, one must get the correct syllable accented or you may come up with a different meaning. It seems my accent came across as cavallo which translates to horse. The waiter was quick to correct me in a good natured way and we all, including the newlyweds, had a good laugh at my bumbling mistake. Bonnie ordered the Italian version of egg drop soup, with parmesan cheese, which was delicious. I had a simple salad also and Bonnie had grilled raddichio, which was a good choice. We like to have a light lunch so we can look forward to----------what else, dinner. We have cooked for the past few nights, but now we are out of food so, we get to go out to one of the many trattorias that are just about around every corner. Buona sera