Just as I’m getting used to making my way from hotel to Piazza, it’s my last full day in Florence on this leg. “Super Chianti” tour today. But the meeting point is not in town and after exhausting the front desk (no reply) and the Taxi App (won’t accept online booking), I end up at the train stations taxi stand. With time enough to first scarf down the cold takeaway pizza from last night and grab a macchiato (from the kiosk).
A week in and the jet lag is over and according to my watch I’m sleeping better than at home. The crazy tourist restaurants are really not bad, the cheap wine is more than decent. Taking time for the small side streets, pausing for the ambience (so many street musicians in the evening), always seeking the great sketch angle. Seeking and capturing scenes is actually a very meditative way of approaching travel.
Yesterday i sketched at the bridge and two young Italian men with Aperol Spritzes stood 6in away (like at a bar) and chatted away in Italian for 20min. I could not for the life of me figure out what they were talking about. Sports? Girls? Didn’t seem like it. Didn’t recognize any words.
“Wine is a message from the land” The Super Chianti tour was fun, only 8 people, very nice organic wines, no pesticides no chemicals no flavorings, no sulfites etc. 700 varietals in Italy not including the clones! And cheap too compared to CA. And a very special lunch at Chefs Table-featured chef, Dario Cecchini’s restaurant in Panzano. The man who loves cows sure knows how to cook em.
No day in Italy is complete without Affogato. Not sure this pic really captures the moment when I came around the corner to find Vivoli and the seething mass of influencers on the street outside. I felt bad for the baristas being filmed by the patrons. I was puzzled by the girl asking for decaf – amateur!!! And as we know, this is not even the best Affogato in town.
But I knew sunset was beginning and I knew where I wanted to stand. 75 pictures and 45 minutes later (because the light is constantly changing) I have my shots.
Piazza time. The sunset ambience in Piazza della Signoria is not 1/10th as good as at the Duomo even with the musicians playing.
The Duomo and the Basilica are so unbelievably huge, it’s really impossible to capture in a mere photo how imposing and impressive they are as they tower over you. It’s like standing at the base of Half Dome or El Capitan.
The amount of detail is just staggering.
I could come every night for a month and not get tired of examining this place.
N.B.: I was lost but now I’m found: my collapsible water cup, left behind at the Lucca hotel patio, they saved it! My size 10 travel brush, was in my bag!
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