A Sunday drive, train style


A beautiful Sunday here. Sunny, not a cloud in the sky, and started a mere 3 degrees above freezing. I know there may be a little envy about the weather here, but a scarf and gloves are definitely required for any kind of tourist wander about town. It’s not all Speedos and olive oil!

How could cottony clouds like these ever threaten the skies?

Today, another visit outside of the city though with Siena as the destination. Was a bit of a late start, but with a little hustle we did make it out and to the station on time. Four hours on location, with yet more pictures of old world walls framing newly painted shutters. More churches with cloud dabbed blue skies, and pigeon filled fountains. Wrap it all up with a one euro square of greasy Pizza Marinara, getting turned around twice before a mad dash, in the dark, back to the train…and it’s a full day.

We are nicely settled in our apartment for the week. A distinct lack of drunken foot traffic from outside, no dumpsters being emptied at 23:30, no construction or delivery trucks before 5am, uninterrupted Internet…conveniences which make it difficult to leave the place. Included was also a 4-pack of TP and a bottle of Leonardo Chianti! We made it out though, through the maze of halls and doorways that lead eventually to the street. We passed an artist in the suite next to us, focused on an oil painting underway.  Her windows open to a chilly but inspiring sunny courtyard, and Coldplay filling the air for her preference of soundtrack to the morning. This space was once a print shop, and now a relatively quiet and charming mix of commercial and residential. Now we’re only ten minutes away from the Duomo and Firenze SMN… let’s just sum it up as an upgrade.

The streets are also a little less busy. One way traffic has cars closely parked on one side, and fully on the sidewalk on the other. Day or night the walk back here seems more relaxed. I can’t say this place is truly pedestrian friendly, even with the dedicated zona pedonale a person still needs to be wary of the taxis and scooters zipping up behind you.

Seems easier to walk in the streets. No poo there!

I have previously commented on poo on the sidewalks. Similar issue here with a distinct lack of care here in Firenze for where dog owners will let Fido drop a deuce. How many city officials need to stop and scrape the bottom of their shoe off on the curb before installing those bag holders? It also brings up a personal dilemma for a dog owner…when your dog is taking a leak on a car, no hydrants noted in this city, do you stop him mid-stream… or allow that best friend to continue draining his bladder onto that new paint job? Guess which option we saw today?

So, a nice neighborhood, it’s chilly, and we have a great place to stay in Florence. A little hot and sour soup to finish a busy day of strolling around. Time to crack a beer, wash down that coffee-flavored yogurt, and figure out where we are off to next. Hopefully with even better accommodations…and maybe still at a better price.


One response to “A Sunday drive, train style”

  1. It’s funny how things are much the same on our side, though without speedos and we use grape seed oil. It’s also a beautiful Sunday at about 3 degrees and René and I are enjoying our new pad that is also lacking in dumpster trucks, drunk people and those oh so irritating street people with their shopping carts full of noisy empties. I took Billy out for his poop and pee this morning and picked up his business, something Europeans indeed fail at!

    Thank you for even further brightening my day!