Breathing out a little

More observations:
* Cobble stones are tricky to walk on...and many woman seem to aim every step in their tiny heeled shoes with grace and perfect coordination.
* Women and men, old and young, wearing sequined dresses, mini skirts and tiny off-the-shoulder tanktops or sports attire ALL ride bicycles or motorinos.
* I went out for a some drinks last night at a hot spot that plays American music and Italian remakes. My friend and I started with Spumante, an apperitif. I noticed that along with the shelves full of liquors are also long sets of shiny metal espresso makers.
* Italians swear at each other often- at least with the gesture of their hands if not with words.
* Everyone smokes, inside and outside.
* A cafe is an espresso. People love it, as much as the tourists love the gelato. There are panino sandwiches everywhere, and the pizza is not round, but rather square and the BEST dough is thin and crispy.
* To get into my bank you have to walk into a glass booth, like a time capsule, that closes one round door, locks you in, then opens the other to let you enter the bank. A bit frightening at first.

Today I visited the Centro Cultura per Studenti Stranieri. I got on the wrong bus, and ended up touring the entire outskirt of Florence for an hour and until I ended up where I started and realized there's ANOTHER bus (same #) that goes the opposite direction. I took this unfortunate incident and used it as a nice tour on the bus-ending up at my destination far north of Florence. I walked 10 minutes further and found the villa where I'll be taking the Italian classes. A nun let me inside, and today I only introduced myself and to test-run the experience getting there. The villa is on a hill, quiet, serene, farm land, gardens. The villa itself- Quiet di Montalve-is aging visibly. Walls seem crumbly, the color is of a faded caramel, and vines slink through the metalwork fence. Italy seems to prove that life does age with grace and beauty.

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