http://www.seeyouinitaly.com/blog/2007/08/17/a-day-in-italy-an-afternoon-with-florence-continued-from-previous-blog/ Just another WordPress weblog Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:14:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 http://www.seeyouinitaly.com/blog/2007/08/17/a-day-in-italy-an-afternoon-with-florence-continued-from-previous-blog/#comment-6241 Wed, 22 Aug 2007 02:22:35 +0000 http://www.seeyouinitaly.com/blog/2007/08/17/a-day-in-italy-an-afternoon-with-florence-continued-from-previous-blog/#comment-6241 Good story....I forgot I had an account that let me comment. Good story….I forgot I had an account that let me comment.

]]> http://www.seeyouinitaly.com/blog/2007/08/17/a-day-in-italy-an-afternoon-with-florence-continued-from-previous-blog/#comment-6232 Mon, 20 Aug 2007 19:35:42 +0000 http://www.seeyouinitaly.com/blog/2007/08/17/a-day-in-italy-an-afternoon-with-florence-continued-from-previous-blog/#comment-6232 A year ago last spring we went to Florence for a couple of days and stayed at a very nice hotel on the Arno River about two bridges East of the Ponto Vechio. We were disappointed, at first that we wouldn't have a view of the Arno. (See "Room With a View", a great movie) Our room at the back of the hotel was so quiet that we were very pleased that we weren't on the "view" side due to the traffic. My daughter's best friend in grade school, Nina is a designer who has lived in Florence for the past 20 years. We met Nina and her "significant other" at a Restaurante two blocks West of the Ponto Vechio and a block South. Not a tourist neighborhood but we got to see pictures of the waitresses new grandchild and many other wonderous things things that we knew not the meaning of. The walk was five bridges. Definitely one bridge too far. Young people were smoking grass on the bridges so between the second hand smoke and the long walk, dinner was wonderful. I think you have to get away from the tourist area to find a good restaurante or good second hand smoke. Mark Twain lived in Florence for three and a half years, I believe. He had some good insights to Italy. He called the Arno a, "notable creek" and added that the only thing that kept it from being a river was a lack of water. he said the Italians, "enhanced the illusion bu building bridges over it. As if they're too good to wade." A year ago last spring we went to Florence for a couple of days and stayed at a very nice hotel on the Arno River about two bridges East of the Ponto Vechio. We were disappointed, at first that we wouldn’t have a view of the Arno. (See “Room With a View”, a great movie) Our room at the back of the hotel was so quiet that we were very pleased that we weren’t on the “view” side due to the traffic. My daughter’s best friend in grade school, Nina is a designer who has lived in Florence for the past 20 years. We met Nina and her “significant other” at a Restaurante two blocks West of the Ponto Vechio and a block South. Not a tourist neighborhood but we got to see pictures of the waitresses new grandchild and many other wonderous things things that we knew not the meaning of. The walk was five bridges. Definitely one bridge too far. Young people were smoking grass on the bridges so between the second hand smoke and the long walk, dinner was wonderful. I think you have to get away from the tourist area to find a good restaurante or good second hand smoke.
Mark Twain lived in Florence for three and a half years, I believe. He had some good insights to Italy. He called the Arno a, “notable creek” and added that the only thing that kept it from being a river was a lack of water. he said the Italians, “enhanced the illusion bu building bridges over it. As if they’re too good to wade.”

]]> http://www.seeyouinitaly.com/blog/2007/08/17/a-day-in-italy-an-afternoon-with-florence-continued-from-previous-blog/#comment-6231 Mon, 20 Aug 2007 19:10:48 +0000 http://www.seeyouinitaly.com/blog/2007/08/17/a-day-in-italy-an-afternoon-with-florence-continued-from-previous-blog/#comment-6231 Stew, Have to laugh at your experience of getting a rental car in Florence at the airport. As bad as that is, at least you can FIND it! We rented a car whose office was located South of the Arno River. We got out OK but couldn't find our way back. With narrow one-way streets and no place to pull over to look at a map, we just drove in large circles. We finally parked on a sidewalk and asked a couple of startled Polzia where we were. After much arm waving we resumed our circling of the neighborhood. We solved our dilemma by waving down a taxi. My wife got in, gave the driver the address of the car rental office and I followed. Since we needed a cab to take us to the train station anyway it made sense. We now take the train to Florence and walk or get a cab. Ciao, Don Waller Stew, Have to laugh at your experience of getting a rental car in Florence at the airport. As bad as that is, at least you can FIND it! We rented a car whose office was located South of the Arno River. We got out OK but couldn’t find our way back. With narrow one-way streets and no place to pull over to look at a map, we just drove in large circles. We finally parked on a sidewalk and asked a couple of startled Polzia where we were. After much arm waving we resumed our circling of the neighborhood. We solved our dilemma by waving down a taxi. My wife got in, gave the driver the address of the car rental office and I followed. Since we needed a cab to take us to the train station anyway it made sense. We now take the train to Florence and walk or get a cab.
Ciao, Don Waller

]]> http://www.seeyouinitaly.com/blog/2007/08/17/a-day-in-italy-an-afternoon-with-florence-continued-from-previous-blog/#comment-6220 Sat, 18 Aug 2007 01:30:17 +0000 http://www.seeyouinitaly.com/blog/2007/08/17/a-day-in-italy-an-afternoon-with-florence-continued-from-previous-blog/#comment-6220 I feel like I'm there walking with you. Sounds like a wonderful place...the link to statues was amazing! You must tell Ruth as she plans her trip. I feel like I’m there walking with you. Sounds like a wonderful place…the link to statues was amazing! You must tell Ruth as she plans her trip.

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