Florence is situated in a valley and the warm, or should I re-phrase........the hot, humid weather has begun. It's like any other city on a hot day, baking against the cement, heat-waves rising, clothes sticking to your body...damp........fun stuff!!!!
Went to the top of the Duomo, the cupola (the dome) today. A 463 step hike up, leads you outside the dome at the very top to have a 360 degree view of all of Florence from the city center. Best to rise early and be the first tourists to go in, otherwise the groups emerge, flocking to the Duomo to get inside, up and around. Chaos.
Since school has ended, it's back to enjoying the tourist life in Italy. A great form of Italian hospitality that I have learned is that of customer service. Today was perfect. I went into a clothing store to look at a swimsuit that I had passed by the day before. Maybe I wanted it......or maybe i didn't, I just wanted to check it out. So, I walk into the store, no "Hello or Welcome" -niente. A typical greeting I've found.
After browsing around for a few minutes, I find the suit, pick it up and than the salesperson emerges. Proceeds to say "oh no, e piccola" (no, it's too small) takes it away from my hands, as if I were a child about to eat food I dropped in the dirt and hangs it back up. Not good enough to enter the store or even touch the merchandise. Another instance was when I was kicked out of a restaurant, when I had a half a glass of wine left when my family came to visit, due to a reservation. Cultural difference, I understand. Sometimes it just gets to you. Few more days left of the kindness of Italian business.
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