I give up on sleep at 4:30am and decide to head out and shoot some night shots. It’s just me and the street sweepers out. The sweepers clean the main squares and streets everyday. Shopkeepers sweep and mop out front of their stores and seem to take pride in keeping their area pristine.
I head for the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore first. It’s all lit up and looks even more imposing in the dawning light. Next stop is the Ponte Vecchio for sunrise. I set up my tripod mid-span on Ponte Santa Trinita and await the sun. While waiting I meet an elderly woman from the Cotswalds, UK. She’s also traveling on her own and she commends me for bravery in also traveling solo. After being in Florence for a week she’s headed home today and imparts some tips of places to visit. She says she’s going to leave in two minutes if the sun doesn’t make an appearance, but I tell her it’s going to show itself soon to which she responds,
You Canadians are always so positive.
After another ten minutes I have to agree with her that the sunrise may not be happening and we both pack up and leave.
I’m so bloody cold I’m shivering and wishing I’d brought a thicker sweatshirt. The afternoons warm up, but in the early mornings the temperature is around ten degrees. I have to blow on my hands to warm up my fingers so I can press the camera’s shutter.
I meet a fellow photographer, Greg, who’s visiting from Los Angeles and is doing a quick stop in several countries including Denmark, Norway and Germany. We geek out on photography gear and discover we both shoot Canon and love Peak Design for their camera anchors. He suggests Piazzale Michelangelo for sunset and if the weather holds, that’s my plan. The forecast is suggesting rain showers for the late afternoon or evening.
I opt for lunch at Da Nerbone inside the main mercato. It’s a huge building that has kiosks for everything imaginable like fresh flowers, meats, cheeses, dried fruits, fresh fruit and vegetables and small restaurants. I wander the aisles looking for Da Nerbone and wondering how I’m ever going to find it in the labyrinth of shops when I spy a long line-up. Found it!! I saw a travel show back home that visited this place and it came highly recommended. It’s been in business since 1872 so they must be doing something right. The host of the show says to try the tripe panini. For those of you that don’t know what tripe is, it’s the lining of a cow’s stomach. It honestly doesn’t sound appetizing, but when in Florence….
I chat with an elderly gentleman from the UK in the line and we’re trying to figure out what to order from the small, hand-printed menu. A local behind me, who introduces himself as Luca, interjects and suggests that I must try the panini lamporedotto. The tripe is cut up and placed in a hollowed out panini with a green sauce. He explains the lamporedotto is basically a goulash and was the poor man’s way of being able to afford to eat meat back in the day. I order my panini and as I’m reaching for my wallet, Luca waves me off and tells me to put my money away. I try to protest and he ignores me. Profusely thanking him, I ask him to sit with me to eat our paninis.
Luca tells me he’s lived in Florence his whole life and has watched it go from very few tourists to exploding at the seams with them. The only lull was during Covid and he said it was very strange to walk the empty streets. We chat about Canada and what it’s like to travel now that the COVid restrictions have lifted. He said he’s surprised by the amount of tourists traveling as the virus is still out there but happy that things seem more “normal”. I’ve gotten through half of my panini and it’s actually pretty tasty if you can get around the jelly texture. I make the mistake of remembering what I’m actually eating and I have to stifle a gag reflex. Aaaaand, I’m done. Luca says after a big lunch it’s imperative to take a siesta and we part ways.
I want to visit the interior of the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore and I didn’t go this morning due to the massive line-up. It’s after 3pm when I arrive and although there’s people waiting, it only takes me ten minutes to get inside. Now I don’t want to sound like an asshole, but this cathedral’s interior is a bit of a disappointment after visiting St Peter’s Basilica. In fact, I doubt anything will top that for the rest of the trip. I opt out of climbing the bell tower and visiting the other areas that require tickets. Like I said, I’ve been jaded by St Peter’s.
After I walk off my lunch I head to Osterio Ponte Vecchio where one can have a Prosecco and apertive along the Arno River. It’s a bit hard to find but if you walk through to the back of the restaurant you’ll see small tables on an outdoor patio. I’m the only one here for the first thirty minutes and it’s lovely. Rowers go past in their sculls, the sun is shining, the Duomo’s bell tower rings on the hour, and I can hear the birds chirping. Perfect way to end the afternoon.
As I’m updating my blog, a couple join me on the patio. They’re super friendly and introduce themselves as Jason and Ashley. Originally from LA and Seattle, they’ve lived in Abu Dhabi for the last seven years. I immediately switch tables to sit beside them and tell them that I’m traveling to Oman in October and had been thinking of visiting Abu Dhabi and Dubai while there. Ashely gives me lots of tips and Jason says to definitely look them up when I’m coming. They’ve come to Florence to get married after having it put on old for three years due to Covid. We chat for a couple hours and then part ways after sharing our contact information.
Instead of going back to my hotel, I walk up the hill on the other side of the Arno River to Piazzale Michelangelo for a few of the city. I’m too tired to wait for sunset and it looks like there’s clouds on the horizon anyway, so I meander my way back across the river. Dawn came way too early this morning and I’m beat.
