10-18-08, Florence

hmm, ive learned some odd things here;

computer keyboards arent the same in every country . . . they dont have the apostrophe! i guess they dont contract like we do :) the floor at the internet shop is slanted so i have to dig in with my feet to keep from rolling out the door.

we are renting an apt in an "international" neighborhood. they are lots of people from india, middle east, and africa here on our street. when people are yelling at each other it doesnt mean they are fighting . . . they might be loving or joking or just talking normal -- with italian passion.

italian passion . . . its seems everything here is passionate and intense. the women walking with style, the men saying "ciao bella", the woman smiling over their shoulders as they swish away down the cobblestone street in their knee high leather boots. the way the old men and women (and some younger ones) pick their noses on the street corner. the young guys reaching down and shifting their privates. the way people honk when they blow their noses.

i learned that the light for our third story flat has a timer that lasts long enough to get the key in the door. unfortunately i couldnt get the key to open the door and that was even harder in the dark.

you have to pay-to-pee, but joe says its worth it. 80 cents :) the museums have free bathrooms.


our favorite hangouts are the market place where they have a coffee and pastry shop amidst the vegetables, pasta, and pig heads. we belly up to the bar and say doo-ay cappa-cheen-ay poor-favor-ay. they smile at us and give us miniture cups of coffee. we also love this one pizza joint next to the court house where they heat up the pizza and we can take it, along with a beer and cup of wine to the steps of the court house. its cheaper than sitting inside and eating it (it costs an extra euro to eat at the restuarants). we also enjoy sitting in front of this doorway to a bar that has 4 wooden stools . . . 2 for the 2 old men and 2 for joe and i. the people watching is more leasurely because its in an alley.

we learned that if you sit in front of the duomo long enough, the whole world passes by.

i will write again soon, we love you all.