This is a placeholder; my laptop is almost out of power, and I have to go to a store tomorrow to find a power converter for it so I can blog. I wanted to send word, though, that my friend Casella and I enjoyed a fantastic dinner on our first night in Florence. That’s bistecca fiorentina, Tuscan white beans in olive oil, and a Brunello di Montalcino. We also had pappardelle with cinghiale (wild boar) ragu, and a salad of fresh sliced porcini mushrooms, shaved Pecorino, and a kind of greens we couldn’t quite identify. The restaurant was Buca Mario, which has been there since the 1880s. I couldn’t possibly recommend it more highly.

We talked about treason in Dante. On the way back, we passed by the Donati family tower, and I thought about poor Forese Donati, starving in Purgatory to reform his gluttonous disposition.

More tomorrow when I have power again.