Italy Day Two

March 7

Had a leisurely breakfast at the hotel. Met an American mother and daughter there. The daughter, Sara, had broken her finger in a soccer game and had had surgery the day before. It looked so painful. Poor lil ting.

Hayley had to study, so Ann and I explored our Florence neighborhood. We walked north quite a ways and through a fresh foods market where many Florentines were buying their day's groceries. I bought a bunch of tulips for Manuela at the hotel from a dad and son selling flowers from a truck. I wished I would have taped it. They were italio-cute. Stopped for a bit in a little piaza.


Hayley met us at the hotel around lunch time and we walked to a pizzeria Roberto from the hotel had recommended but it was closed. That is one thing about europe that is different from the states. Businesses don't seem to have regular hours. We ended up at a little cafe not too far from the hotel and ate al fresco.


Then we headed to the open air market where we bought souvenirs. I inadvertently made one of the vendors angry by stating that I thought I would go back and get one of the scarves at another booth (is that not my perogative??) and he kept shouting after me, "You cheap woman!" I felt kind of bad, but Ann figured he was just p. o.'d because he hadn't sold anything yet that day. I reckon she is correct about that, but still it was unfair of him to yell at me. Oh well, he didn't deserve my business and I ended up buying about ten scarves from an old woman with a band-aid on her face who had to keep going to her husband for change. Purty cute.



When we got back to the hotel, we shared a bottle of wine in the breakfast room by the window. Then we took a taxi to an authentic pizzeria Elizabeth from the hotel recommended. It is where she and her family go when they want pizza. It was really cute and fun. Super busy! Lots of locals. We were the only tourist in the joint, which was cool. Ann and I each had four-cheese pizza and I never thought I would O.D. on cheese, but I actually did and ended up with a achy tum.

After dinner we walked Hayley to her apartment and met one of her roomies, Roxie. She was very sweet. Then Ann and I took the bus back to the hotel. Attempted to skype R, but it didn't work. Took my homesick-self off to bed.