First Day in Florence

The first photo is actually for my local B'ham friends who will understand the thrill I had going over the newly repaired bridge on I-5 on the way to SEATAC.

When I arrived at the airport in Amsterdam it looked a lot like Skagit County so I wondered for a quick moment if I was dreaming. All the signs there were in English. I did not feel too out of sorts yet. 

Then I settled into my Alitalia flight with three seats to myself and got a chance to rest horizontally. That's when I noticed it. The scent of humanity that we have so successfully sterilized out of our culture. It was not unpleasant. I noticed colognes and perfumes and found myself guessing what people had been eating. 

In Italy almost nothing is in English. I am gloriously out of sorts and have already had a waitress huff mamamia in exasperation with me not understanding her English. It's better than my Italian. Besides it reminds me of my aunts. I walked a long way to my hostess's house. The directions were go to the Duomo and turn right. Look at what I saw on the way.