An afternoon in Florence

Florence, Friday 2 October

I took the early train to Pisa and connected with the fast train to Florence this morning. I was getting a little agitated that there was no room for error if a train was delayed from the south when I need to be at the airport early for my flight to Madrid tomorrow. Poor me, that gave me an unscheduled afternoon in beautiful Florence. Things were going too well I guess I got fined E5 by the Italian conductor for not validating my ticket. Train travelers are supposed to poke their tickets into a yellow box that prints the date of travel onto it and thereby validates it to travel. I hadn’t done this. I got off lightly I guess, he had a choice of fining me either E5 or E40!

I used Expedia to book an hotel close to the Stazione a couple of days ago. The train station is central so all I had to do was find the Hotel 200m from the station (oh no you say). Bag in tow I followed the instructions to the letter. Two streets later I found an 85 year great grandmother, she was watching the world go by at her door. She was dressed in black and her grey hair looked as if it had recently been styled. She came up to my waist. I asked her if she knew the street I was looking for. She was delighted to be asked and sent me in the opposite direction. I wasn’t sure if I should follow her advice but she had taken my request so seriously and spoke very slowly to help me comprehend; mostly I got what she said by through the gestures. Naturally she was right and I was wrong, I don’t know why I bother really.

I wanted to go to the Uffizi this afternoon. I was stymied by queues last time I was here and again I gave up as there was a monstrous line of people waiting to go in and I only had the afternoon. Oh well, there’ll be another time. Instead I wandered the Piazza del Duomo in the sun and reminisced of my first visit here and then just roamed the streets taking in the sights and coming across the central markets and a few shops in the process.

I am more aware than ever of the pick pocket s and thieves. One of the Birthday Girl’s guests had her cash and some cards stolen from under her nose in Pisa last week!! Very disconcerting and a warning to be wary as the thieves are slick and fast and apparently operate best in pairs or groups. It is actually really quite draining trying to be vigilant all of the time. Even in the supermarket I called into for a snack on my way back to the hotel I was mindful that a guy was watching me be indecisive. He may well have been shop security but he was big and I wasn’t taking any chances. The accommodation I am in makes a real difference to my sense of security. I think this hotel is a little too close to the station for total piece of mind but it is only one night.

I am for the first time in a few days catching up in more detail on the news at home. The events in Samoa and Indonesia are ghastly. No doubt there is a lot of focus at home on this. I confess I feel a long way away tonight.

No need to explain this pic I am sure. I already have an almost identical photo from my last visit here but the Duomo is so big and so compelling that I couldn't resist.