Tuesday, April 07, 2009

My Italian Summer - Florance, a midsummer night's dream

I rolled into Florance on one of the hottest summer days. For the following three days I got a very good understanding of what "under the Tuscan sun" really meant. Actually I was physically quiet close to it too.

When I saw my hotel room I started to realize how I got it so cheap for a 3 star hotel. I was put in the penthouse suite - the attic! Honestly when I open the door to my room I thought it was a closet. All I could see was a set of steep steps going up. The room was burning under the thin roof. There was one big machine that was supposed to be the air conditioning in the middle of the room, which blew nothing but warm wind. I took about 5 showers a day, and I hand-washed my clothes just as many times, which went completely dry after 20 minutes. I went out early morning everyday, came back to take a long nap during the hottest hours, and went out again after sunset. Does it sound bad? Don't let me fool you because I got a room with a view! When the sun was gone and the moon was up, when the cool midsummer night's wind gently blowing through the window, when Florance in the moonlight was under my eyes, it was all worthwhile.

One reason other than the heat that got me to get up early everyday was the church bells. Every morning around 7:00 I was woken up by the church bells' ringing. It seemed like all the church bells in town went off at the same time. My eyes were closed and my ears were ringing, but somehow there was this strange feeling of being at peace.

Florance is compact size. After wandering through small streets and half day at the Uffizi, I felt I could really use an emergency feet amputation. I decided right then and there that I was done with walking, at least for a while. For the rest of my time in Florance I picked a different piazza every day/night, sitting in cafes, on patios usually with a glass of house wine, and watching ordinary people's life has never failed to amuse me. Once I saw two men arguing in the middle of the piazza, one in Spanish and one in Italian. Apparently they had no trouble hurting each other's feelings.

When you are traveling solo you get to meet more people. I met a psychic woman from Australia who drank alot, danced alot, and told me how the world was going to end soon and how much better French men could flirt. Another Italian guy, Florance local, who has a PhD in Greek and Italian architecture but creates websites during the day and plays guitar in a band at night. People including yourself seem to be more interesting when you are on the road alone.

On my last night in Florence, I went to Piazza Signoria. The nightly wind was cooling down, so I put on the red and gold shawl I bought earlier that day (for 10 euro and a fake leather bag for 20 were all the shopping I did in Europe. For god's sake, I didn't go to Europe to shop!), and bought my daily gelato. I sat down at the feet of David and took off my shoes. The sky was diamond blue. Suddenly the music came on. One of the street musician was playing Shubert's Serenade with flute. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath knowing this would be the perfect midsummer night's dream of mine...

My hotel key


View of my room at the door

View from top of the stairs


View from my hotel window



My room and the hot wind only air conditioning machine



Some strange people I met


The very shy room service guy at the hotel


Italian polices are equipped with the best leather goods


Piazza at night


David at night


Lovely wood shop

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