Florence

The day was hot and humid as we rolled into Florence; another train station and another time to look at the last minute bookings. Only this time we ended up in a hotel that was just around the corner from the station.

It was on the 3rd floor and had a very small cage elevator. It was okay but later in the evening I wasn’t sure if the lower floors had brothel or not. There was a lot of yelling. Or it could have just been a drunken husband coming home at night.

I had taken art history while at Fullerton College and I was anxious to see the Uffizi museum and the dome that they said couldn’t be done. As well as the brass doors on the baptismal, which had been awarded to an artist competition. They really liked to do to see who would get the commission.

First things first, after getting settled into the hotel then we went back to the train station and had to book an overnight train we would need in a few days. We also had to book a spot for the train to Venice. It was a long wait and everyone was getting tired. It was very hot, this was a record-breaking heat wave and there are not always air-conditioning in these old buildings. Most of the time they really don’t need it, that’s why. As we left we heard two older women talking. Someone was taking too long at a light and we all had to wait on the curb longer. One said to the other “Mama- mia!” I didn’t know anyone really said that, I thought it was just a stereo-type. It was cute.

After that was done then it was time for more shopping. I bought a nice linen top and some things from Cosabella. That night we went to a café and then got some gelato later. We didn’t have any dessert at the restaurants since it was hot and we wanted to try as much gelato was we could. My feet were getting really swollen and I was getting a heat rash. So we went to the chemist. Or drug store, I showed the pharmacist my hands and what was going on. He got me a cream it had like lemon in it and worked great. I still have the tube in case I ever go back and can get some more.


The next day we did go to the museum and I was the personal tour guide for my man. I told him all I could remember about the artists. It is really something to see in real life the paintings you studied. Sure you have seen them before, like Botticelli’s Venus. But it is nothing like seeing it in person. The color is different than a reproduction and there is nothing like standing in it’s presence!

We only stayed a short time in Florence. The day after we were left for Venice.