Rick Steves calls Florence "a renaissance treadmill" because it is definitely a walking town. Everything is easier and faster to get to by foot than by bus. And, although, I see them, I don't see anyone using taxis. But I can't treat walking here like a treadmill for several reasons: first of all, if I don't watch where I am going, I will trip on a cobblestone, or rock, or crack in the sidewalk, or I will be run over by a bike, a vespa type vehicle, or a car, or another pedestrian; secondly, half the time I am not walking on the sidewalk because either a car is parked with two wheels on the sidewalk and there is no room left, a bike or vespa is parked there, people are walking two abreast on a narrow sidewalk, or people are walking too slowly or standing in the middle of the sidewalk consulting their map or talking with their group, oblivious to the fact that the sidewalk is primarily for walking and that it needs to be shared.
But the main reason walking in Florence is not a treadmill is that it definitely is not boring. I have been wearing a pedometer while here and though I have not had it on every minute while walking, it pretty accurately reflects the distance I have covered on my feet. Last Thursday I passed 100 kilometers and am starting over. And I have to say that just about every one of those steps has taken me by something interesting. Down our narrow little street is a Gucci store. Who would know? Its wrought gate and brightly lit interior are tucked deep into the bowels of the building so that you only see in when you are directly in front of it. There is also a very discreet brass sign on the building. But the most interesting thing is that there are always a few employees - all in black; all very thin; and mostly twenty-something - out in our street smoking.
Window shopping in Florence is an incredible experience. On our walk to the train station (usually early in the morning or late at night), we walk past at least a dozen stores that bear the names that we know in european fashion - Hermes, Bulgari, Versace and Armani - to name only a few, and others that I have never heard of. Some have prices discreetly printed on a card in the corner, but it seems pretty much like "if you have to ask, you can't afford it," and, of course, that's true; most of the windows also contain a sign saying, "No Pictures." Two weeks ago, everything seemed to be white and warm beige - mostly linen - for both men and women, occasionally punctuated by a bright print dress. And, of course, the shoes are gloriously outrageous - a few straps, or, in one case, zippers wrapped artfully around the foot and then placed atop a 4 or 5 inch stilleto or wedgie. But when we walked to the station yesterday morning, most of the windows had changed and were showing fall stuff. Now everything seems to be a combination of black and brown with half boots and scarves and Issey Miyake type coats with folds of grey-brown fabric, both knit and woven, draping everywhere. Some of the clothing looks almost like World War I seriousness - a dark blue uniform-like suit - buttoned up tight - no flirtatious peplum or decolletage to break the "I mean business" look. And the shoes are (gasp!) sensible with a capital "s." Some of the dresses look as though they came out of Jackie Kennedy's 1961 closet - a straight sheath made of gorgeous fabric, some of it not so discreetly embellished with sequins and beads or with a panel of ornate fabric in the same color. I was grateful that it was early morning because it has been in the mid nineties here and looking at the styles in the heat of the day would, to me, have been painful. I was also grateful for the Hermes windows that were still showing crisp white linen worn with various shades of orange, and for Pucci whose prints are still unique despite all the zillions of copies we have seen in the last 40 years.
Last Wednesday night we went to see the Tuscany Opera Company production of Il Barbiere di Siviglia. It was outdoors in the Giardino Boboli, the huge formal gardens behind the Pitti Palace. They erected metal grandstand seating, so the crowd noise clomping up and down the metal stairs before and after the performance and during intermission was very different from the carpeted hush of your usual opera house. It was a gorgeous evening (as most are here); we had center seats that were not particularly comfortable, the arena was not very large, so it was easy to see and hear; it was well sung with a lot of nice comic business, no super or sub titles, and we could understand a lot of the words, something I've never tried to do before. So I guess some of the italian is beginning to sink in (though I don't think I will ever use the right preposition). And what a pleasure to walk home after in the soft still warm air.
Our time here is winding down - only one more week, and still much to do.
Ciao for now.