Nov 9 Day 36 Cool Animal Museum and Cooking School

Feeling self conscious and a bit like a kid when I first walked into the Museo Specola (Museum of Zoology and Natural History), I soon realized what a treasure it is. 


I could have taken at least 2 million pictures, since that is the minimum number of specimens they have, but I tried to restrain myself.  

This museum is filled with undoubtedly the most comprehensive and well preserved animals I have ever seen – surely the taxidermists are artists.  It was officially inaugurated in 1775.  Apparently the hippo was given to the Grand Duke in the late 1600's and lived for a few years in the Boboli Gardens before being one of the specimens at the museum.

It also has a wax museum of human beings with "all parts" dissected and you truly feel like you are in a gross anatomy lab at the local medical school.  This woman even looks beautiful despite what is going on under her chin.

http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/museum_of_natural_history.html

There is even a section of wax humans in utero and here are some twins.  The fetus waxes are as amazing and beautifully done as those of the adults.  

After finally tearing myself away from natural history, I went back to the Ufizzi to see some of the paintings that I had missed before - mainly the high Renaissance period.  As you can see, it was another rainy day, but good for museums.   Notice the cool Italian jacket and boots - I have to try to fit in at least a little bit.

Cooking class was great tonight - here is the menu:
- macceheroni al ragu (like lasagne but with sausage and chicken livers and of course home-made pasta);
- coniglio all'aullese (braised rabbit and vegetables);
- torta di riso (a torte of rice, liqueur, sugar, etc)
It was a feast and the teacher is terrific.  The school is "Apicus" and they have many American college students working towards hospitality degrees.


On the walk back to the convent, I stopped by Giubbe Rosse for a nice glass of Vino Nobile di Montipulciano.  I am beginning to feel like a regular and since this is where the literati hang out, maybe I'll instantly be able to start writing poetry!