A jug of wine, a loaf of bread, and Galileo

We started another sunny day in Italy, our ninth straight sunny day, crossing the Ponte Vecchio and heading for the Museo Galileo.  We just can't take any more huge museums full of religious art, at least not today.  So, we're swinging to the opposite pole - a small science museum.

Here's the Ponte Vecchio this morning:

We entered the Museo Galileo, and proceeded through a eighteen rooms of small exhibits focused on the development of scientific method and scientific tools from the 14th century to the 19th century. 

It proved to be yet another great learning opportunity for our son.

Almost every room had a video monitor with easy-to-follow explanations on such topics as the development of map- and globe-making, the discovery and development of measuring tools (thermometers, rulers, the compass, barometers, etc.), the telescope and microscope, and more.  If you think about the scientific developments of the Renaissance and centuries following, and then put the tools of science from this period in a museum with careful, multimedia presentation of how they developed, it is a powerful package! 

Of course, rooms with titles like "The Science of War" make for good bait!  In the end, everything in life boils down to math with few exceptions.

With Galileo being called "the father of observational astronomy", "the father of science", and "the father of physics" at various times, you can imagine how fascinating the exhibits in this museum were after miles and miles of iconography and paintings of the Madonna.  Here's the man himself:

...and his first homemade telescope.

Our brains full of new found knowledge, we scooted back across the Ponte Vecchio without entering ConsumerLand, and headed for our part of the world, FoodWorld.  We ended up in Osteria Del Cinghiale Bianco for another great Italian meal.

Our firsts: Tomato and Bread Soup, Rice, Pomegranate, and Truffle Soup, and Lasagna.

Our seconds, and our son had the winning choice as usual - the rabbit, pictured below are roasted rabbit with potatoes, roasted pork with potatoes, and my stewed beef with peppercorns.  All were delicious!

After a meal like that, we needed a very long walk.  So we did about four miles on the south side of the River Arno, well away from the tourist crowds.  Here is Florence in the distance from the high point of our walk.

We stumbled across an unmaintained war memorial on the walk.

We turned the next corner and were treated to a magnificent view of Florence...

...which just got better as we got closer!

Almost home, I stumbled across the smallest car I have ever seen...yes, it's parked in the scooter parking area.