Day 1: Sitting, Standing, Walking... and Eventually Sleeping??

The hitch-free travel luck I've experienced over the last several trips caught up with me today. Or I should say that it caught up with Scott. We left a few minutes late from Greensboro and had to speedwalk to get the gate in Atlanta. As we worked our way through the maze of corridors, not-well-marked exits to Terminal G, shuttle buses, waiting areas, boarding areas, and more shuttle buses that is the Paris airport, we joked about whether our bags were checked all the way through to Florence or whether we should have claimed them, gone through customs and immigration, and then re-checked them. We decided on a back-up plan just in case we ASSumed incorrectly - ship the luggage to Florence.

The flights passed quickly, and we got an incredible view of the Italian Alps as we descended into Florence. Absolutely gorgeous. Reminded me of my glacier landing on Denali, but the plane was bigger and less noisy than the AK otter.

Only a few people were on the last leg into Florence, so we didn't have to wait long for our luggage. Or rather, for my luggage. Scott's luggage never came. A short wait in line and a few clicks on the computer, and his bag was located... still in Atlanta! Hmmm... Evidently my bag speedwalked faster than his to make the flight, but then again it is taller than his bag.

We took a cab to Hotel Globus just steps away from Studio Art Centers International (SACI, pronounced SA-chee), dropped our stuff, freshened up and went walking.

My room:


















My bathroom:


















The views from my muli-layered window:




















Scott is the incredible tour guide that I hoped he would be, especially since I didn't have time to crack the cover on the Italy tour guide. Already, I've found:
- McDonalds, where they also sell beer?? (We'll go back later and get our McDrunk on. Just kidding, Dr. Carroll!)


- the Duomo, which I plan to climb





- the neighboring Giotti's Bell Tower, which I will also climb


- the Piazza della Signoria (Gentleman's plaza)


- the Uffizi


- two great places to purchase high-quality italian leather goods
- two places for groceries
- three places for locally made stationary and pens
- Santa Croce and piazza
and in less than 30 minutes we're going to the straw market and to eat at a place many claim to serve the best pizza in Italy.

Note: Instead, we ate at Zsa Zsa, a trattoria near the straw market. Scott had bruscetta and a pork tenderloin and bean dish. I had a cheese, ham, and marmalade plate and REAL cozzi di bianco, not the Carrabba's knock-off. Eat your heart out, Leigh Ann!

Did I mention that I had some of the most mouth-watering gelado? At Vivoli. Half limone and half mandarine. That will likely be an everyday visit! And the walk burns off any calories consumed in the gelado!


For now, I have my feet propped up, windows open to the shops on the street below with the smell of prusciutto and homemade breads in the air, watching Blazing Saddles dubbed into Italian (I wonder if it translates well?!?), and listening to the bells from the church a block away. It's quite a surreal difference from my office, which has seen way too much of me lately.