A Room With a View

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As we arrived to the Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence on Monday we looked for the Farmacia sign where we were to turn and go outside to follow directions to our apartment. As luck would have it there were two farmacias and we chose the wrong one. After a few minutes of confusion we headed in the other direction and soon were on the right track. Our apartment is in the most amazing location and is truly unique. We found our street and the big wooden door with our number on it. We were to meet Lorenzo there but we were a bit early so we went to a little place across the street for a drink. At the assigned meeting time of 1:00 we went back to the old door and Curtis sat down, leaning against the heavy wood. I jokingly told him that maybe Lorenzo was inside and when he opened the door he would fall. Hah! Exactly what happened! Lorenzo, the apartment owner, is absolutely amazing. Not too hard to look at either but really one of the most affable and friendly people we have dealt with. He told us we were on the third floor so we were to leave our backpacks with him and Curtis and I would get into the elevator and go up and Lorenzo would follow with our bags. May seem a bit strange if you envision what we have for elevators. You know, the ones that hold 750 lbs and several people at one time? Well remember we are in Florence, a very old city. Buildings are tall and narrow so the lift was one more European adventure, just like bathrooms! I got into the narrow, wooden box first, Curtis behind me. Once you are in, you can't move. Curtis' shoulders literally touched the sides (must be his brawny body). We headed up to the 3rd floor and Lorenzo followed right away. He hauled off our ridiculously heavy bags and then checked with the cleaning lady who was just finishing up. We stood out front of the apartment, in a tiny space where he pulled out a map and began to describe all the sights we could take in. He marked our location and three of his favourite, local restaurants! He was incredibly helpful and answered all of our questions! Once we got into the apartment we were thrilled with what met our eyes. Our temporary home is very spacious and decorated in Victorian style. It has a small kitchen, large room with table, wardrobe, bed, TV, etc. The ceilings are high but the highlight of this place? When we open our shutters and look out the window, we gaze upon the Duomo and the Tower, not in the distance, but a mere 500m away! It is a room with a view for sure. Because we face away from the street it is very quiet as well. We instantly knew we had made the right choice! The icing on the cake is that Lorenzo had a plate of cookies, a pitcher of water, and a bottle of wine to welcome us!! After explaining all we needed to know about the apartment he bid us "Arrividerci" and we were free to explore on our own.

Now, not that I want to talk "bathroom talk", in fact I highly discourage that amongst my JK/SK children but in this instance it is necessary. Our toilet is in a room of its own, the "royal flush" room you could call it and it's right beside our bed. The sink and shower are in a separate area, right off our entrance door. I use the term "shower" loosely, as it is a shower room! A tiled, rectangular area with a sink at the end, a shower head on the wall, and a drain on the floor! Curtis took one look and came out with the funniest look on his face! Welcome to Florence! On another note, when we sit on the toilet we have a view of the Duomo! Not many people can say that! Another room with a view!

We headed out to orient ourselves with the area. I loved watching Curtis' expression as he got to stop and look at the splendour of the Duomo, tower, and bapistry. Since it was my choice to come to Florence, I waited with bated breath for his reaction. As his eyes took in the sheer magnitude of the Duomo I knew he was in love with this city! We opted for the Firenze Card which would allow us to get into most museums and churches for free and we needed no reservations. In fact, we got to butt ahead of everyone else! We went to the Medici-Riccardi Palace as we wandered and then made our way to the Ponte Vecchio where we watched the rowing club members slice through the water of the Arno River. We stopped to look the very exclusive, expensive gold shops, taken in by the dazzling diamonds and precious stones. We then made our way over to the Plaza Santo Spirito where we watched hordes of young people lounging on the steps of the closed church, drinking wine and beer, playing guitars and talking. We walked further down to the restaurant recommended by Lorenzo, Sants Spirito. We were lucky to get a table, as it was hopping. We both enjoyed amazing Tuscan pasta and wine, savouring each bite. Content, we headed back to our apartment for a good night's sleep, knowing we had a busy day ahead of us!

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Photos

Tower and Duomo
Our view from the apartment and while sitting on the toilet.