Florence Day 4
Just arrived in Florence. Getting here from Paris was an arduous journey - note to self: always always always check where the frigging airport of a budget airline is. In my case, it was an hour away from Paris by train AND another hour away by cab (I missed the bus). Of course, the taxi driver wanter me to pay additional on top of the meter which I pretended I didn't understand. And then, I missed my train to Florence (I landed in Venice - long story) and barely made it to the next one playing with the pigeons at San Marco.I had to do 1 of those things you think you only see in movies - chasing after the train and climbing onboard with the help of the conductor as the train starts pulling away.
But I finally finally made it to the Sta Maria Novella Station... and I'm in loooove. Florence in more beautiful than I remembered. I want to kill myself for being here alone - I feel like calling someone every 5 minutes to share.
Unlike Paris which is a dichotomy of the old and new, Florence seems to be completely trapped in time, retaining much of the old-world charm from when it was THE seat of power. It's amazing - none of the buildings are allowed to be taller than the Duomo so it really feels like another age, another time - no skycrapers, no modern edifices, just a helluva lot of tourists.
It's a really small city to you can walk everywhere - from the train station to Palazzo Pitti which, even at opposite ends is only about 15 minutes apart.
I am staying at what may be the most expensive lodging this trip at Pensione Bretagna (40euro), opposite the Arno river. I have a room all to myself with TV, phone and desk (I've been away from civilization for a while so these are really big big pleasures).
I am now on the opposite side of the Ponte Vecchio, having a huge slab of Florentine steak (their specialty - yum yum yum), a quarter of red wine (which is starting to hit me) and asparagus the size of my feet.
I have a feeling I'll sleep like the dead tonight (I was up at 6!) which is good since the weather is perfect (cool enough to walk around in a tee without freezing to death) for a trip to the Tuscan countryside tomorrow.
Ok bye... I hear gelato calling me.
posted by moan @ 4:06 AM
2 Comments:
i feel like the most boring person on earth! hahaha. walang exciting na nangyayari sa akin!
don't forget my pasalubong! :P
i want one from every country!
Nagulat talaga ako to find out na wala kang itinerary and you're staying at these hostels and sharing your room and having to shower in full display (walang curtains). Grabe, di ko yata kaya yung mga ginagawa mo.....
Nagkataong wala ka, Les (Oz) and Raffy (KL), and a lot of the ABMs are out today (Cha, Russ, Rhinn, Carlo)... iilan lang kami nandito ngayon, sa medyo malungkot.
Dahil sa blog mo, I am starting to -- medyo pa lang naman -- look forward to my Europe trip. Weird, para kasing am not exactly looking forward to it. To think na ang laki ng babayaran ko, I should actually show more enthusiasm or interest man lang. Wala lang... maybe the thought of having to look after the kids and my parents... minsan kasi, I tend to get absorbed by the "challenges" that I lose sight of the total experience... ganyan talaga personality ko.... anyway, I promise to enjoy myself when it's my turn to go to Europe. Grabe no, parang napakayaman ng GBU natin... lahat ng BMs ko nakapag-Europe this year!
Don't worry about work. Things are under control. EME asked for some Ariel charts for AG... under control, bahala na kami ni Rhinn doon.
Happy eating... sana bumigat ka!
See you soon (am joining the Pioneer FGDs in Manila).
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