Florence

I love Florence. I don’t know if it was the good weather, the Italian hospitality or just the beauty of the city, but this past weekend was my favorite trip so far.
The beginning of the trip didn’t start so well. It was raining, as it usually is in Geneva, when I got on the bus to the train station. My train left at 10:30 p.m. and I reserved a bed in one of the couchettes earlier in the week. Each couchette, or at least the cheapest one like I reserved, is filled with six beds: two on the bottom, two on top and two in the middle. It was hard to fall asleep in a room full of strangers (both guys and girls) and every time I finally did nod off, the train would stop and I’d wake to the sound of people climbing in and out of the beds around me. I also was scared that I’d sleep through my stop. All those things combined equaled one night of fitful sleep. On the plus side, I didn’t miss my stop, they served each person a light breakfast (which I wasn’t expecting) and I arrived in Florence bright and early, just before 8 a.m.
My first stop once in the city was at the Uffizi Gallery, the home of works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael, among many others. (Almost all the Ninja Turtles) The building itself was a work of art, with tall, domed, painting ceilings and windows overlooking the Arno river and the plaza below. After a couple hours in the museum, I searched for my Hotel, which was pretty reasonable and in a good location close to the river. I finally found the front door but couldn’t figure out how to get in. Eventually I realized that you have to push a button on the hotel’s address sign to buzz yourself in and then climb four flights of stairs to get to the actual lobby. I spent the rest of the day walking around the city. I window-shopped in the jewelry stores that line Florence’s most famous bridge, the Ponte Vecchio, took in an aerial view of the city from the top of the Duomo, a dome atop a pink, green and white marble cathedral. It was quite a hike up 460 stairs. I loved Piazza Signora, a huge square by the Uffizi filled with tons of people, tourist stands, outdoor restaurants, all kinds of statues (including a replica of David) and sidewalk performers acting like statues. I got my picture taken with one. I shopped at an outdoor market and bought this bag of stuff called Brigidini, these flattened yellow chip-like flakes that are flavored with anise. They remind me of pazelles my mom used to make, they even have pretty flower designs pressed on them. In late afternoon, slews of sidewalk vendors laid out their fake collections of designer sunglasses and purses. The best part was watching them simply fold up their cardboard stands and casually walk away when a police officer turned down the street. My brother would have got a kick out of that. For dinner I ate at this restaurant overlooking the river. I had a great meal: salad, fresh pasta with mushrooms and a glass of Chianti, which is the trademark of Florence. Afterward I couldn’t resist a cup of gelato. That stuff is sold every 20 feet or so. My favorite flavors so far: coconut and pistachio.
On Sunday, I went to the Accademia Gallery, where Michelangelo’s statue of David stands. It’s much bigger than I imagined. I had thought it was the size of an actual person, but it’s really very impressive. The museum also has this wing filled with the plaster molds for famous and not-so famous statues. There are hundreds of busts there lined up on shelves, which kind of creeped me out, like the heads of hunted animals on the wall. My last stop before heading back to the train station was the Boboli Gardens, a huge area with fountains and all kind of pretty greenery.
It was a great weekend, and if you’re ever in Italy, I highly suggest you stop there.