Florence and Leather

We have been in Florence for six days. I have met a young lady from Albania. Now, that is not as easy as it may seem. I ask you "have you met someone from Albania". There are a lot of students in Florence. Apparently, James Madison University, and I am sure other Universities, have student abroad programs in Florence.

Impressions of Florence are numerous. First is the motorbikes. They are somewhere between motor scooters and motorcycles. At intersections, they sound like a motor cross race has begun. Driving a car in Florence is not easy because of the streets. They are not streets. They are hints of alleys and change names constantly. These passages are often 20 feet across or less. In that space, there are parked cars on one side and tour buses passing on the other. In short, top speed for a car is 10 mph. Moreover, streets are not straight and often end with a choice - right or left. Both choices lead to streets were auto traffic is prohibited. So, tourist driving is not recommended. There is no room to pass. Driving a car in Florence is an invitation to wait for a procession.

Enter the Italian motorbike. The drivers are the rulers of Florence. Laws and civilizations do not apply to them. Lords of the Flies with horsepower. They rule. They roar down the street passing through gears. They are actually seem to racing. Their brothers on the LA freeway are in more danger but the Florentian brothers are enjoying the ride.

The second thing you see and hear are the buses. What are tour buses doing on these streets? But, they do it. They turn right corners and left corners. There are all sizes of buses - tour buses, commuter buses and small commuter buses. They deal with parked cars, motorbikes and foot soldier tourists.
It feels Michigan Ave and Randolph Street in the 60's when walking and driving the loop was a sport.
On Sunday, we saw the grandmother of all traffic jams in Florence. Nothing was moving. There is justice for the pedestrian.

We visited the Uffici on Saturday. We have visited the two greatest museums of Pre-Renaissance and Renaissance art in the world - The Louvre and The Uffici. I now have a hint of how much I do not know. Simple things are evident. First, art changed radically from 1480 to 1530. It was a revolution. You can see it with the viewing of a single painter, Botticelli. His early paintings are the flat, lacking perspective of the late middle age. Within 20 years, his work and subject matter is earthy, sensual and Renaissance.

The food of Florence is great. We have stopped eating pizza. Pizza is great. But, there is so much great pasta.

Breakfast of strong coffee. Lunch with a glass of Prosecco. A caffe for the walk to the hotel. And a glass of Classico Chanti with dinner. Maybe, a grappa for after dinner.
It is a great life.