Jumping back into Italy ...

after setting in the missing post from Lyon.  This will cover the trip to Prato, one of the places I thought might be nice for a short and easy visit.  It certainly was easy getting both there and back on the train (about 18 minutes!) and it certainly was shorter than I had imagined it would be mostly because most everything that was a "sight to see" was closed on Tuesdays or the long lunch, or whatever.  But it was a road trip gol' durn it so that was good.  And again, I feel like I've already posted about it but if so, I can't find it.  So I'll post the few photos I have from the trip (mostly all from one museum) and that will be that.

My train left Florence at 10:25 or some such time and 20 minutes later I was walking out of the station in Prato.   This first picture I took when the train stopped at another Florence station (I think there are maybe 3) just to show that it isn't all incredibly old buildings like in the historic center.  These apartments would probably be cheaper than the photos I posted yesterday!   

 I stopped at a tourist information center located in this big pretty and peaceful park right across the street from the station and then sat a bit on a bench just to enjoy the quiet.

 You cross over a bridge to get into the town and it's a lovely river - I wondered if it was the Arno, but no it is the Bisenzio River.  It was still morning so you can just make out the hills in the distance.

 This is a shot of the original walls that surrounded the city and kept it safe.  Historically, there were a lot of problems between the folks of Prato and the Medici in Florence.  And actually almost every town, village, etc., had these types of fortifications usually way up on the top of a hill (like my little Montefioralle that I visited on my first visit to Florence) .  I think Prato's are still basically all there.

And this is close up - pretty darned tall.

 
This very fortress looking building was built for the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick for when he had to come up north I guess.  I had read that unless they had a special exhibition going on, it is basically empty inside but that you could go in and up to the crenellated towers to look out over the view.  But it was all locked up so that was that.

This was so kind of weird but neat.  I hadn't eaten before I left Florence so I stopped in at a cafe that served the standard not so good croissants, the strange idea of a sandwich that the Italians seem to have, espresso, etc.  I asked if there was a bathroom and it was downstairs and he pointed to another room where the stairs were and when I got there here was this very old clavichord(?) or whatever this size is called.  I don't think it's a harpsichord because they are smaller I think.  But who would expect to find it on display in this kind of ratty type place and with a blackboard sign posted that "restrooms downstairs"?

The next four pictures are just pictures from my wandering trying to figure out if there was anything I could get inside.  There wasn't, so here are the outsides of I know not what - there is nothing outside any of them to tell you what they are.  Well, obviously three are churches, but...

The shadow on the piazza is from the Imperatore

Now, my wandering pays off although I was about melted into a puddle by the time I got there!

Apparently, Prato has been an important source of all sorts of fabrics since way back.  The sign below this picture that I took a shot of only goes back as far as this particular plant where the museum is now housed (the 1800's).

And the one below I think describes (with the left side not all there) the workings of the huge red brick thing in the picture above.  This museum was filled with cases showing various things, but it was also a place where all fabrics were manufactured and is just beautiful.  So much wood, such red brick...

The one above didn't work as well as I had hoped but I think you can see if I explain what it is and what I did.  This is a small sample of a long velvet cutwork piece that was amazing.  We all know what velvet it but this has two layers of it on top of the white base.  The first layer would probably feel pretty much like a nice plush velvet.  The dark blue top layer was what was amazing.  When looked at close up and from the side it's like looking at eyelashes (short, but there) and you can sort of see that here if you look to the bottom of the long dark oblong in the center where you will see a bit of dark blue sticking out above the white.  I've never seen anything like it and I forget what they dated it, but it was old.  In fact, most everything I shot pictures of was much older than the 1800's mentioned above.  A lot of it was 14th and 15th century!

more velvets above...

and these lovely panels I don't exactly understand. I don't know why I didn't take a photo of their card.

This is obvious the front & sleeve portion of a bodice and was so very gorgeous.  It may have been for a gent because the shoulder is very large...

The one above is the bottom of what looked like a brand new dresser scarf or stole made by some very accomplished weaver.  The pattern was at both ends.

and another piece of blue and white weaving.  Below is another section of clothing fabric, in fact, I assume it is to make a complete sleeve which would be set into a bodice. Looked at in original size, it looks like some form of embroidery.  After seeing so many gorgeous "pieces" of clothing I thought to myself "what must it have been like to open your closet in the morning and think, 'hmmm, wonder what I should wear today?'"

Below is a stunning embroidered piece with a LOT of gold thread work...

And even more stunning!

And then upstairs is the fiber museum which made me think I should call Heather and tell her to get over here. :)

All the acrylic bins have different types of raw fiber in them that you can feel the difference between them.  The first one was filled with fibers from animals and, of course, alpacas had the softest and were obviously the finest in every way that mattered.  Heather is becoming quite accomplished in spinning her alpacas' fiber.

The one below was just cute - I chose the section that showed the 50's through 2000.

See what I mean about beautiful - the wood ceiling,  the presentation of information, they have really done a stellar job with this museum.

This wasn't a loom like you see women weaving on - it was something that did something else.  How's that for good information?!

This sign refers to the picture underneath it which I am not happy with but it was very dark and both sides were different and I just couldn't decide how to capture the hugeness and impact of it.

These were used for carding the wool.  Thankfully, Heather has more modern means!

The one above was walking back to the Prato station.  At first I thought it was a real dog but turns out it is a statue of one!

And the river was even prettier when I went back over it in the late afternoon,