Our last day in Florence

This morning we caught a commuter train to Arezzo, which was an interesting experience in itself. Though it's been decades since I traveled by train in Europe, I remember it as being quite a pleasant way to move from place to place. This train didn't disappoint. Though it stopped many times between the two cities, it was comfortable, cool, and very smooth - a marvel of electricity and automation.

What had been planned as an all-day excursion had to be shortened because our group has been invited to a little celebration of our visit put on by the proprietors and staff of our most excellent hotel. It was decided that we would spend only a couple of hours in Arezzo so as to have most of the afternoon in Florence to do a few last-minute errands, complete our packing, and enjoy our party.

Arezzo is a lovely town. We had an opportunity to visit the Chapel of St. Francis and view the wonderful frescoes depicting the Legend of the True Cross. We also visited Il Gelato, which is one of the Top 10 shops listed in our guidebook. The gelato is homemade and features some unusual flavors. Mike and I had some of the pine nut flavor. Delicioso indeed! Bill suggested that I point out the reference to his little shop in our guidebook to the proprietor, and when I did, he smiled and said he already knew that. Guess we weren't the first Americans to seek him out . . . .

Upon our return to Florence, we came back to our hotel and got as much packing done as we could before we finish up tonight. As our flight leaves at 6:30 a.m., we'll be up in the middle of the night, catching a cab. Needless to say, the less we have to do at 4:00 a.m., the better.

Mike and I decided we would take one last leisurely stroll around the neighborhood. After a very successful visit to a leather shop (a new PURPLE bag), we wandered the streets in a section that is frequented by the many college students who are doing study abroad here in the summertime. We found a little bar, sat on the street and had a coffee and a beer, and just indulged in a little people-watching. What a treat! We're trying to inhale the ambiance of Florence and keep these images fresh until we can get home and look at our photos and match them up with our recollection. Even though we had thought two weeks would be enough, that we could then move on to travel to other cities and countries, we now admit that the idea of a return visit is extremely attractive. After all, we have discovered a perfect hotel and know this city like the back of our hands! Well, maybe not so much - but we are certainly comfortable wandering on our own. The presence of the Duomo, visible from almost anywhere in the central city, gives us a landmark by which to find our way back to our very comfortable "home." We love it here.

So now I sit and record these thoughts in the hotel bar. Today is very hot, so the window is closed and the air conditioning is turned on in the bar for the first time since we arrived. We listen to Pierpaolo as he deals with new arrivals and answers the phone, shifting easily from Italian to English and back to Italian. The large flat-screen TV in the now-deserted breakfast area chatters away, featuring a sort of Italian soap opera (we think). It's just another late afternoon in Florence, at Hotel Casci, Via Cavour 13. How we will miss all of this!

The Pitti Palace and LOTS of shopping

This morning everyone slept in a bit, then a few of us gathered and set out for the Pitti Palace. As we were in no hurry, we went by the mercato nuovo to let one of our group put a coin in the boar's mouth. It slipped from the boar's bronze tongue right down into the grate - which means that Fran will return to this citta bellissima.

Onward to the Pitti Palace, once the home of the Medicis, then later remodeled and refurbished by Lorraine-Hapsburgs. What an amazing place! We wandered the Palatine Gallery and the royal apartments and most thoroughly enjoyed our peek into Napoleon's bathroom (which Rick Steves assures us he never used, and we have found our boy Rick to be completely authoritative!)

After a quick walk through a portion of the Boboli Gardens and a peek inside the Grotto, we moved across the street and had a bit of lunch and some acqua naturale (and used the W.C.) Then we started our serious shopping. On our initial trip we had spotted a jewelry store that was more reasonable than the gold markets along the Ponte Vecchio, so on our trip back, we stopped and browsed the earrings. We looked at fabulous mosaic work, wonderful leather gloves lined with cashmere, and T-shirts. I really wanted one that said "Ciao, Bella" in rhinestones, but they were definitely sized for young women who weigh 85 pounds - not for those of us with more matronly figures. But I may go back tomorrow . . . .

Now we're back at the hotel, finishing up little dribs and drabs of bottles of wine, some cheese, some crackers, some pesto. I sit in my favorite spot near the open window, writing these words and chatting with friends, sipping the wine. We are waiting for the six of our group who journeyed to Rome this weekend, and plan to have dinner with them and hear all about their adventures. We have become a close-knit group, thoroughly enjoying each other, laughing at our misadventures and marveling at the serendipitous happenings we've encountered. For instance, at last count Mike and I have seen four bridal parties, one of which had groomsmen clothed in kilts! This was in Cortona, and was surprising, to say the least.

We have chatted with vendors and gracious salespeople from all over the world. Some speak English, some speak a tiny bit of English, and some speak no English at all. All of them have been smiling and friendly, and with our cobbled-together Italian, we have done just fine. We startled one sandwich-maker with a request for bruschetta with tomatoes AND cheese, but for the most part, folks just smile and give us that "crazy Americans" look and wish us buongiorno or buona sera - or perhaps even give us a "ciao" as we leave a shop. We are old hands. If we had just one more week . . . .