I had been warned about Florence: about the hoards of tourists, of mass commercialism, and of any tangible kind of Italian reality so buried it may be nigh-on impossible to reach. I'm glad for the warnings for it meant I was well prepared to expect the worst, to give in before getting here and just enjoy being a tourist for a while. And I must say, all things considered, Florence is absolutely mind-blowing. A jewel amongst jewels, eternal and fragile at the same time, a place where all the good stuff in life is done to perfection. I am even enjoying the Italian public more here, kinder and more considerate than around Salerno I think, more relaxed and open.
We have struck gold again with our host, Patrizia: a wonderful spiritual woman with a passion for herb lore, Firenze and all kinds of interesting things. She has taken us to superb places that locals eat at where I was introduced to the perfect antipasto: a slice of tangy pecorino atop a slice of ripe yet still firm pear, all drizzled with honey (simple, perfect, just like Florence). She enlisted her beautiful daughters in a mission to cook Tuscan wonders for us (what these people can't do with aubergines isn't worth doing), taken us walking up Michaelangelo's hill for a top view of the city, and given us space in which to relax and enjoy. Oh how I love Couch-surfing!
Today we spent the entire day at the Pitti Palace and its extensive gardens, roaming around with perfect weather and a stunning picnic. It was all good but the wild strawberries atop fresh marscapone atop meringue that Ellen fed me were heavenly: I swear some of Botticelli's cherubs started singing to me.
We got to wander around some great museums today too that are part of the palace; the Silver museum was particularly mind-blowing not for its silver (of which there was very little) but for the rooms painted in the most incredible trompe l'oile, so effective I really couldn't tell you which parts were actual structural features and which were illusory.
Being a tourist in Florence is just so much fun, so easy, and the perfect way to kick back and celebrate the mammoth journey we have done. The really odd thing for me is seeing the tacky classical statues that litter the place just like they do everywhere these days, only these ones are for real! These are the ones the rest of the world apes, these are the ones that Donatello, Michaelangelo, da Vinci et al did by their very own hands out of the local marble, and they are just ridiculously good. Uffizi and Academia galleries tomorrow to end on a high, then we really must end this epic.
Look out France, we're coming in!
