enfinblue's Bluey (credit to Fifi for the nickname!) Diaryland Diary

"I am seeking, I am striving, I am in it with all my heart." -Vinc3nt V@n Gogh

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Good morning FIRENZE!

So last night was quite terrific. The girls in my room are quite quiet and polite, so no worries. The girl above me was a bit odd - came in early and got into bed and then went out and came back again, made some noise and woke me up. But no matter.

Last evening I went to the MOST beautiful square in Florence. It's called Piazza della SS Annunzi@ta. There's a hospital there designed by Brunellesch! where orphaned babies used to be left in a drop box. Really! It's quite old though and was exclusively for orphans. It has beautiful della Robb!a tabernacles of swaddled babies ornamenting it. There is also a WONDERFUL church on the one side of the square, with frescos that I looked at last night from Pontormo and Sarto, and terrific porticos on the other side of the square. *We won't talk about the fact that the church at least to some degree necessitated the existence of the drop-your-out-of-wedlock-babies hospital. :) Last night there was a market of local artisanal products and food. How delightful to see not only that but families with children out playing board and other games in front of this 15th century hospital! So lovely. The light was beautiful. The only "issue" to speak of is that it is still cold. I bought a simple pashmina to wrap around my neck and that's pretty much helping. I will probably buy a big cardigan and a pair of jeans today, if I have the time and can find something. I'm pretty fussy about my clothes fitting properly so that I will wear them for a long time.

That was one long paragraph!!

So I'm going to check at the front desk if the tour to Oltr'arno is happening this morning. I've walked around on that side of the river many times but have never done a tour. They do free tours here and the one that I went on in the spring was excellent.

M. emailed me back last night and seemed genuinely distressed that I might get sick. Silly man. Of course he thinks that I won't come cycling if I get sick. I realize now that I should probably have come in October and taken the second course instead, as he has tours booked every day when I am here. It is still high season. If I had come later perhaps we would have been able to take a day and do something together somewhere else. Makes me kind of want to "buy" some of his time so that he can afford not to work for a couple of days, but I'm not that rich. :)

Anyhow. No worries. I will go cycling with him at least once and that will be nice. I've got to learn to roll with life. My grandmother always said, "Life is what happens when you are making other plans." And she was right. Not sure where that quote is from though I know it's not hers. You know, when I first wrote it down I wrote: "Lice is (are) what happen when you are making other plans." Indeed!!

Sooooooo.....The good thing - I'm very pleased about this - is that I ate dinner at the hostel last night (very cheap although there was some wheat in what I ate), instead of going out - so I was in bed by 8:30. I drifted off until that girl came in and was shuffling around at around 1 a.m. I was then restless and awake for at least an hour, but then fell asleep again and awoke at 7:30. That's late for me here! So, coupled with the nap that I took yesterday afternoon, I'm well on track to be sleeping well this week! I don't want to miss a thing from fatigue!! Plus I have the opera tomorrow and that will be late.

OK. I should go and do something. Read about what I'm going to see this morning before my meeting with Juliet! I had the hostel's hot breakfast this morning. It is free, but extras are not. They really like me here, for some reason. The guy remembered me from last time and gave me free capuccino and remembered my room and bed number. They never chat me up here, so I don't know why it is that thye like me so much. His mother, who owns the place always gives me special attention. When M. came in to pick me up the last time she said, "This is a very nice girl." Maybe it's just that they get a lot of raucous young backpackers who are not respectful, so us older ones stand out. Anyhow.... It's nice to have nice people here. I like it here. I also like the bustle of young people around. I would be bored in a hotel, not to mention spending 200 bucks more a night!

Ciao, bellas!!

8:51 a.m. - 2008-09-15

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