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Here's a tribute to the Parma residents who fought the fascists in WWII. Fascism left such an impression that Italy banned it in their constitution. After leaving Florence, Parma's historical buildings seemed to less impressive, but their cathedral had some incredible frescoes and minimal tourists, and their fair share of beautiful art dating back to the middle ages. On a completely different tack, we popped into a @sirjoancornella exhibit which was hilarious and sad and dark. Finally, after eating the three other foods Patna is known for, I finally got around to another local delicacy-what sound does a horse make? (The answer is best given in person, searing sounds, and steak flipping motions don't quite translate) Yes that is horse, a delicious fine tartare which melted in your mouth. I decided I had to have it after passing on a horse fillet the night before to have local pasta. Icelandic foal steak from @maturogdrykkur still tops my list though (at Parma, Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx97fSIgPxW/?igshid=1gprd5x3w6lwk

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Parma tour part 2 Cheese master and apprentice prepare cheeses for a salt bath The cheese master Dempster's how the consortium checks whether a cheese is ready to become Parma Reggiano, or will be downgraded for Parma Mezzano, or Spacchiata (scratchings-where the Parma Reggiano marks are removed) Parma hams as they grow up to become prosciutto From beginning to end of balsamic vinegar. Step 1 is the cooking of the grapes in these stills with their skins before they beginning the aging process, which eventually, after 12-25 years leads to this locked room where the final consortium approved balsamic vinegar is locked away, ready to be bottled. Not sure what this room is worth but 100ml of 25 year agreed balsamic vinegar is worth €100 so it's a bit. (at Parma, Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx9cGGlANIY/?igshid=13172r9ght2f8

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Food magic Spent the day in Parma doing a food tour. The Parma region is the home to Parma Reggiano, prosciutto di Parma, and balsamic vinegar (what we get in Australia for the most part is not true balsamic vinegar). The tour took in the Caseifico Socialite Basilicanova, a local cooperative dairy , where the cheese master pictured prepares cheese for aging into Parma Reggiano, as well as ricotta, Conti prosciutto http://www.contiprosciutti.it/ , and Acetaia Picchi https://www.acetaiapicci.com/ (at Parma, Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx8AZkWg-q7/?igshid=6rkmg5tw5g2g

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Last day in Florence... They put on a parade to farewell us (at Florence, Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx5dGzigmmS/?igshid=cek8nncl9uxj

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Tuscany put on a show for us with some great weather... Spring is coming (at Florence, Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx5c0RKgvMu/?igshid=fwfbymmzybp6

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Last day in Florence... They put on a parade to farewell us (at Florence, Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx5cjsVgVg_/?igshid=1fly7cgqyhzdu

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Florence Wandering around Florence got me thinking that living in the city as an artist could be tough, sure it would be inspirational but imagine trying to create something new in the face of thousands of years of art. Despite this Tuscan Street artist Blub had some fun with the classics (at Florence, Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx2_jD3gDj9/?igshid=1olrx6lk2gyx7

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Florence (at Florence, Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx2-ZLWAHOY/?igshid=p0tnrok6wq31

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The gallery of the Uffizi (office). Coolest office gallery you'll ever see. So apparently beards have represented both wisdom and being a veteran for sometime, seems like CA missed the memo. Swipe to the end to see the Medusa head shield by Caravaggio (at Galleria Degli Uffizi) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx23vOHAhCN/?igshid=1o4qgicvve3to

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Florence, the Dome (at Florence, Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx22WsUAF3q/?igshid=t9brre2x96iz

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Cinque Terre ferry Imagine eking out a living on these cliffs (at Cinque Terre, Porto Venere) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx2wHEFgkw3/?igshid=15gm2q1d0felc

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Cinque Terra ferry (at Les Cinque Terre) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxrTJAvDRtH/?igshid=99ytt67xpxoj

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The sun rises on an overcast Tellaro (at Tellaro) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxpTTwlAmO3/?igshid=gvvu9i7otmm1

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Tellaro Laura found us an @airbnb in the small village of Tellaro (picture 3 is the view from our windows). We also booked in for a trek with donkeys out of La Serra, which was fantastic. Barbara and Gianluca-or guides (human types)-had just welcomed an hours old addition to their family, so they were running on minimal sleep. Uno and Tuano, our donkey guides were also pretty excited by the new arrival. Photo 5 Barbara and Gianluca showed us where the fascists had been based in WWII, unbeknownst to the fascists, the partisans used the basement of the same building to run their printing press and produce resistance material Photo 4 also has some fascist credo still left on the wall of the little piazza in La Serra (at La Serra, Toscana, Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxospMPgMq2/?igshid=13l93a6baknfc

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Turin/Torino part 3 So apparently these towers were meant to be higher, but according to our guide the Turinese work Monday to Friday and if it's not done... The exception to this is the out of character Mussolini's finger that towers over the city as a testament to his power (I didn't worry about a photo of it because it's not hard to see why the locals didn't like it) (at Turin, Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxoqGffgHuS/?igshid=1udrlmq5peg47

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Turin/Torino We only planned one night in Turin, there seemed like a lot to do and see, so if we get the chance we'll be back for more time. Birthplace of Nutella and gianduia, and once Italy's capital city, it is now apparently discounted by most Italians as an industrial area, meaning it was a little less touristy which was nice. They also invented aperitivo, so we are well on our single night there (at Turin, Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxnD_0AjQsw/?igshid=1n8f60483g7yp

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Last of Lyon Almost forgot these, we've been seeing this tile street art all through Dijon and Lyon Girl with pearl earring And if we were here in July we could go see Midnight Oil...shame (at Lyon, France) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxhY0N4AIfQ/?igshid=w6xwv6el7o4o