…… Love and a Time to Hate

October 2 -5, 2012

One thing I don’t think I’ve mentioned about this wonderful Roman watchtower / grain barn apartment is that the water comes from a spring-fed well.  Apparently it’s a very slow spring because Christy told me to watch my water consumption carefully to avoid water shortages.  Even with the drought that Italy experienced the entire summer before I came I’d had no water problems at all.  I practice water conservation at home – for one thing, water is a precious resource not to be wasted, and another thing is that I don’t like to pay the extra cost when I over-consume water.

As mentioned in the previous post, the Australian ladies had arrived.  I let them into their apartment and showed them around.  I also encouraged them to practice water conservation (the one thing Christy asked me to stress to them), gave them notes on good restaurants in the area and a couple of hand-drawn maps on how to get around while having a cup of tea, then said “Buona notte.”

The next day I rested, not only because it was Sunday, but also because I was exhausted from running all over the place the day before trying to sort out the “guest mess.”  And still sickly from the cold that was firmly entrenched in my chest at this point.  As I pondered the water situation, I felt it might be best if I left while the guests were in the apartment so all of us wouldn’t be using the water from the slow, spring-fed well.  I’d been here for over a month and hadn’t taken an overnight trip, so I made plans to visit Florence, coordinating my return for the day that the ladies would be leaving.

I LOVE Florence – even with the hordes of tourists, I never tire of taking in the architecture, history and art of the city.  It’s an easy city to navigate on foot and I know it pretty well from previous housesits in the area.  So I caught an early train to Florence after booking a room in an apartment in the city center.

 

My 'home' in Florence - a beautiful flat on a street between the Piazza della Repubblica and the Palazzo Strozzi

I got up early one morning to catch some of my favorite places without fighting the crowds – here are some images...........

Santa Maria Novella - the first time I've seen it without scaffolding all over it (for restoration) in five years

The Duomo - Santa Maria del Fiore

Florence's primary cathedral

Gilli's - a very expensive place to get a cup of coffee and all sorts of other treats

Santa Croce - with Dante glowering over the Piazza

Burial place of Galileo and Michalangelo

Taken at 8:30 am

Note the photos of the Piazza della Signoria – quite a difference!

Taken around noon

 

I really enjoyed my little getaway – feeling much improved, relaxed, ready to return to country living and the slower, quieter pace of life.  

Piazzale Michelangelo - popular at sunset

When I reached my front door I noticed a big white jug sitting there.  And on the door, a hand-written note from the guests…..”Dear Rita, Thank you so much for all your help on arrival.  Just letting you know the well is dry, therefore no water……….”

 

I HATE when that happens!!!!!!!!!