Bells and Whistles!

One of the things I love most about living in Italy is experiencing the magic of the church bells ringing.  No need to check your watch, cell phone or even be connected, for the hourly and half hourly chimes are quite accurate.  Announcing the hour, calling to prayer, workshop, weddings and funerals, all varying in rhythmic patterns, add to the hit parade of bells.

The most famous bell tower in Florence is Giotto’s Campanile located in Piazza del Duomo.

Each Florentine neighborhood has at least one church, so one can be serenaded throughout the city.

Sant’ Ambrogio, my “quartiere” if full of hustle and bustle, yet the ringing of the bells in the evening to summon parishioners to Mass or at the hour of the Angelus, provides moments of a mental pause.

While walking in the rain, the muffled sounds of the bells can lift your spirits.

Another type of music heard in the streets of Italy, that may not be as uplifting as the bells, but none the less upbeat, is whistling.

In the midst of political and economic crisis I often hear people whistling as they go about the city.

Years ago young  women contemplating study or vacationing in Italy were warned that Italian men would at the very least whistle in appreciation of their beauty or at worse pinch their bottoms.   Fact or fiction I can not say, but appreciation and attention to and of beauty is very much alive and well.  In the United States, if men were to stare at well dressed women and nod their approval it would not be appreciated to say the least.  However in Italy, many women are flattered by the attention. There seems to be more of a mutual respect thing going on, or may I say an appreciation of la bella figura.

La bella figura is all about an emphasis of beauty and appearances.  There are many implications of  this cultural characteristic, both pro and con, but for today’s post I will just concentrate on the art of looking good.  Italians have style.  As a person who also lives in Southern California, where I can truly appreciate living in a sweat suit and choosing not to worry about the latest fashion trend, it is fun see how the other half lives.

People dress at the market:

while riding their bicycles:

Pushing baby strollers:

Or just strolling:

It all just seems to fit.

So much to say about aesthetics and how beauty is displayed whether it be a personal fashion statement, arrangement of fruits and vegetables at the outdoor market or  shop window displays. It is all about the attention to detail.  A final photo of my favorite chocolate shop and how those works of art are displayed. Yes, I promise next post will be on my favorite shops and on seasonal specialty foods, but just a reminder that while in Florence listen for the bells and enjoy the view; you  just may find yourself whistling a happy tune!