Firenze Bulletin

Wednesday 22 October 2008

I headed to the train station to catch a train to Pistoia but just missed one so I searched for the Marino Marini museum – it was well worth visiting plus I could get in free when I went to the museum in Pistoia. So back to the train station where I caught the slooooow train to Pistoia. 

Pistoia

Pistoia Baptistery

Funny little town – very, very quiet. Visited my second Marino Marini museum for the day - he was actually born in Pistoia - some really interesting pieces of sculpture, paintings and some great family photos. Had very nice lunch at their caffe, sat in the garden and had bruschetta - a large slice of lightly toasted bread with a thin layer of cream cheese, tomato, corn, ruccola and ham - really tasty. Wandered off to see the rest of the town and while I was taking photos in the Piazza del Duomo I was "accosted" by a man, who asked if I was by myself - he is a retired teacher and obviously dying to speak to people, so he "dragged" me around town, pointing out all the interesting sites - things I would never have noticed. We went into the Bank of Siena which is in the most fantabulous building. We were chatting and wandered around town but he then picked up a Dutch couple and we started the whole trip again. I was going to buy him a drink or coffee but had to say arrivederci and head off the train station. I just missed a train to Florence. Sitting on the platform for the next train when I hear it is in ritardo (only Italian in Pistoia) - okay. Next thing I look at the noticeboard and the train is going to Lucca - help! Rush down the stairs to look at the big noticeboard - my train seems to have disappeared but there is a slow train to Florence in 5 minutes from another platform. I race up the stairs, down the platform, cross the tracks and jump on the train - oh boy.

Back home I decided to head to Sabatino's for dinner. It is just outside the San Frediano gates and supposedly where locals eat – well, maybe, but it was a bit ordinary. I had insalata mista and rosbif with potatoes - they came together - on separate plates - the rosbif was two thin slices of very rare meat barely warm with small worn out potatoes. I’m guessing that even though this was on the menu, it was definitely not the thing to choose. The salad was quite nice. The glass of red wine tasted good but had a kick to it.

Yesterday I wandered around town looking for of all things somewhere to get a manicure. I found lots of men's hairdressing places that did them but eventually made an appointment for this morning at a very prestigious place right on the main street. There was a huge student demonstration in the city, it's been on the news for ages but still don't know what it is about - must have been thousands of students milling around Piazza del Duomo and the streets running off from it. The roads were blocked, there were police and chanting, slogan-waving students everywhere.

Visited the Museum of Belle Arti to see the Giovanni Fattori exhibition - this was really interesting and certainly different from all the old artwork I have been looking at. On the way home I had a cup of hot chocolate at Rivoire, almost solid chocolate, no milk - just thick chocolate. I was nearly home when I saw a hairdressing salon, popped in and they did my nails then, so had to ring up the other place this morning to cancel.

Also last night I went to see La Boheme at St Mark's English church in via Maggio - about 5 mins walk away. Couldn't find anywhere to eat, so after walking around in circles finally came back to Ristorante Ricchi in Piazza Santo Spirito - well, it was an excellent meal and I didn't have my camera with me. While I was there a gentleman started chatting to me, he'd just arrived in Florence from Abruzzo. Because I didn't have much time before the opera, he helped out with the service. We chatted across tables and he even offered me some of his wine but I said that I would fall asleep in the opera if I had another glass. I had salmon risotto, which was truly beautiful to look at and tasted really good, with a small side of caviar. A little free appetiser was tiny fish fillets maybe herring, very tasty. So, mille grazie signore and signorina and off to the night at the Opera. The church is lovely. I think it is still a consecrated church. There was a good MC who explained what was going on - not an opera but scenes from the opera - and four wonderful singers. I cried at the end not just because Mimi was dying but because Musetta pawned her earrings to buy her friend a muff for her frozen hands. Then a quick race back home through the dark streets and crashed about 11.30.

Tomorrow, I have to get up early as I have my extremely cheap commune organised trip to the Chianti region. I am really looking forward to that.