I couldn't sleep most of the night, eventually it got near morning and I like soooo didn't want to get up. Bed was so nice and warm and cosy. But I have a special Florence card that gets me in to all the galleries and museums without waiting. I am so glad I bought it, I didn't have to book or pay anything more and the entry people like you, I guess it shows that I am seriously interested in their beautiful city and its art. It lasts 3 days, today was the last. Yesterday I went to the Accademia to see the statue of David the day before I went to the Uffizi, today I could climb all the way to top of the dome of the Domo 467 stairs, with a cold. I did well!
But that wasn't the first thing I did. I walked to the river, across the bridge and up the road to Orgnissanti basilica to find the tomb of Botticelli. He asked in his will to buried at the feet of his muse, Simonetta Vespucci. Amerigo Vespucci the explorer is buried there too. America is named after him. I also found Bernini. So, tick, one promise fulfilled.
Then I walked very slowly towards the Duomo, looking in all the beautiful shop windows. I am photo- shopping, taking a photo of what I would buy for my friends if I was to buy them something, it is very economical, and saves on space. I went into a chemist near the merry-go-round and bought some cold tablets.
I was so thirsty by the time I got to the Domo and I bought a bottle of sparkling water. There was a really, really long line of people waiting to climb up the dome, they would be waiting for hours. And there is a really short line for special people. Of course I get to join the really short line. But I have to go and get a ticket and come back. The ticket man smiled at me, after my climb I popped back in to tell him how cool I thought it was from up there. There is no line at all and I started the climb all by myself, which is only a little freaky. 467 steps later I reached the top. I stopped a few times to catch my breath and write my name on the wall like everyone else. I took the sign that said "do not write on the walls" to mean "write your name on the wall".
It's a wonderful view of Florence from up there. All the terracotta roofs stretching out far below and I saw at the top of a hill a little castle tower. All day long that castle tower keeps popping into my view.
There is a party going on downstairs at the hostel. It is sure to be fabulous but I feel so sick and my stomach feels grose. I feel too shy to go down. But I will go. ...I went down and got a bottle of sparking water. My friend Rosa is there but I forgot to put my shoes on and the marble floors are cold. I'm back in bed again now.
I'm in a private room tonight and I can see the little castle at the top of the hill from my window. I tried to walk to find it this afternoon but I only got as close as a high wall on the other side of a valley. Rosa just told me that you have to get there from the other side.
After I stood on the top of my head on the top of the Duomo and climbed all the way back down the stairs I remembered that I wanted to go to the Pitty Palace. It is a very pretty palace with lovely rooms. I was extremely daunted when I walked out the back to see the enormous extent of the gardens. My poor legs cried out in protest and my feet joined them, but I kept encouraging them, "just walk a little bit further, climb a few more stairs, see what is around the next corner, let's find out what is over the rise. Then there in front of me was a park of grass with little white and yellow wild flowers. It was just what I needed, somewhere to lie down and have a nap.
When I opened my eyes again I was looking at the little castle on the top of the hill. Inside the palace was an exhibition of costumes, so special. Also jewels and gold plates and all the stuff they keep in palaces.
Soon my friends will be waking up to see the photos of their gifts on facebook. I hope they like them :)
No comments:
Post a Comment