Wet and windy Firenze

Tuesday 28 October 2008

I had rung and booked a seat on the free bus tour for the Mugello Culla del Rinascimento exhibition. I had to be at the bus station by 8.45. We finally left at 9.15. I'm the only non-Italian speaking person on the bus. It was an unbelievably interesting and good day but also a very difficult day. Everything was in Italian, instructions, guide, etc. So it was a struggle for me to work it all out. We travelled around the Mugello region. The countryside is absolutely stunning and quite different to that seen on other trips. The four locations were marvellous – the convent of Bosco ai Frati in S. Piero a Sieve, the town of Vicchio, Borgo S. Lorenzo and Scarperia. We finally got back to SMN at 6.30. After getting back to the apartment and tidying up I headed out for pizza at Pizzeria Dante, which I had heard good things about.

Bosco ai Frati

Can't believe I leave on Friday - at first it seemed like I had forever here and now it seems as though I've barely been here at all - very nervous about fitting everything back into suitcase. I've done quite well, seen all things I planned to see, been most places I planned and some places I certainly had no idea about. I went into a fabulous lolly shop in the city today, Mignone. There was so much variety I couldn't make a decision so walked out with nothing. It's that way with most shops, everything is quite expensive - in fact I wouldn't even considering paying at home what I've been paying here - and everything is in such abundance that my mind just goes blank.

Alice's Mask Shop Florence

I finally got to Alice's mask shop and it was open. Absolutely gorgeous. The masks are handmade and so beautiful, about 60 euro each.

Today it has been raining on and off - it's not too bad actually but the traffic is horrendous, just like at home when it rains I guess.

PS the place is really gearing up for October 31 - Halloween - thank God I leave in the morning otherwise I think the traffic, etc would be awful. 

 

Thursday 30 October: One more sleep

Last night I was thinking it's too soon to come home but today Firenze put on a show for me. It is freezing cold with strong winds and pouring with rain. I was in the middle of it along with lots of other people. It lasted about one hour and now it has cleared up with blue skies and sunshine - unbelievable!

Ponte Santa Trinità

Went searching for some recommended shops and coffee places and could not find them. I walk down the same streets time and time again and every time I see something different. A shop may be closed and, if so, it may as well not exist, you simply don't see it. Late in the afternoon, cold and wet, I stopped at the super-expensive caffè Paszkowski, and had the most expensive icecream of my life - it was a bit yummy but about $18. I also called into the fashion and wine exhibition at Orsanmichele museum. It was a little bit interesting but surely I must have missed the main event?

On Wednesday it was still a bit rainy and changeable so I decided against leaving town I revisited the Academia and saw David again. I finally got a photo of my landlady's cheeky cat, Cicca. Visited the Bigallo museo and saw the Leonardo da Vinci exhibition. Interesting! Finally, I bought a few lollies from Mignone to bring home.

My landlady Miriam came visiting yesterday to ask about my leaving on Friday - we had a long chat, which was really good. Although her English terrific it is a thousand times better than my Italian. We talked about home life, travel and politics.

Dolcissimi in Florence

I had a very busy Thursday. I lunched at i Fratellini, a lard panino and a small glass of Brunello – fabulous. Then I went to Dolcissimi in via Maggio to buy chocolates for my landlady and the person who cleaned the apartment. Finally, I walked all the way up via dei Serragli almost to Porta Romana looking for a flower shop but couldn’t find it. So I headed across ponte Santa Trinita almost to the Duomo to get a book and then on to the train station where there was a flower shop. Finally, I went to Hemingways for chocolates to take home and a last visit to my favourite Bar OiO for my final vodka tonic and to say thanks.

After paying Miriam for the apartment and handing out the presents, she promised to arrange a taxi for me in the morning to the train station. I had my final meal in Florence at Bene Vobis.

Friday 31 October 2008: Homeward bound

I was up very early to pack and say my goodbyes then off to catch the train to Rome. The train was very late but I had a fabulous seat, a single with space next to me for my case. By the time I got to the airport it was about one hour later than I had planned and I was a tad stressed, also hungry and tired. The flight to Dubai was okay, I was lucky I had a very nice couple sitting next to me who had come from Nice and we chatted the whole time. I got upgraded to business class in Dubai because of the kerfuffle at Rome airport (they didn’t give me the seat I had booked), so that was super nice. 

And so ends the brief description of my Tuscan travels.