Thursday, October 23, 2008

Travels with GG

Firenze, the girl from the sky, and fire

Part one: Firenze, Toscana

We arrived sleep deprived and exhausted at 8 am at the Florence Youth Hostel, only to be told that we couldn't check in till 2 pm. There goes the long awaited nap, we thought. But, this is Firenze, and we have to make the most of it. So up Jack got, and home did trot (i.e.
we gathered forces, and marched forth after dumping the luggage).

We had hoped to catch some Zs on the bus from I'll Ciocco, but instead had a very interesting discussion on the unique properties of the brain transport proteins with a Stanford professor at 4 am.

The prospect of sleep on the train went out the window when Professor Clifford Slayman decided he had to tell us all the secrets to Firenze. He was so kind to recommend a restaurant where you get the best food in town. Across the river Arno from the Uffizzi Gallery, with an English-sounding name (erm..... English -sounding??? Food.....good???). Thank you very much, but me poor postdoc, I eat standing una slice pizza

Anyway, we were on the tourist route, so the first thing do do was look for a coffee. Boy, either I was too exhausted, or the cappuccino too good. I had to stop at two.

We then proceeded to the Duomo, Santa Maria Del Fiore, commissioned simply to show off. The Florentines were always competing with major cities for power, wealth, grandeur. Well, they sure don't have to worry about grandeur.

In general, you walk around the city gaping at the architecture, occassionally closing your mouth if you remember to.

Florence cannot be described easily.

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