Florence ::: Day 2 ::: Accidental Tourist

A lot of people like to have an itinerary when they travel. I take a different approach, when I know I have the time. I like to just head out with an open mind and find what I find. So on my second day in Florence, I walked around, stumbling upon piazzas and Florence's many beautiful buildings and churches by chance.

I found the outdoor market right away. It's located just down the street from the Archi Rossi hostel. Here many vendors sell leather coats, purses and belts, interspersed by stalls of cheap souvenirs and scarves. I didn't want to buy a leather coat, but I was offered a free boyfriend, instead. 

In this area I also found the covered food market, where I bought some dried strawberries, and a tasty lunch of fresh tomato, mozzarella and lettuce on bread, with an espresso.

I found Piazza della Santissima Annunziata, where locals and travelers sat sunning themselves on the steps of the Accademia.

I found Piazza della Ignoria by the Uffizi Gallery, where they have a replica of Michelangelo's David and several other interesting sculptures.

I found the Uffizi Gallery, the Arno River, and Ponte Vecchio, a bridge lined with jewelry stores. The middle of the bridge has a railing where people have attached hundreds of padlocks. I would later find out that this is a joke. There is a sign on the railing that I missed, which says "do not attach locks." I think this is supposed to mean that you're not allowed to lock your bicycle here. People have taken the sign literally, though, and attached padlocks to be cheeky.

Lastly, I found Piazza de' Pitti, where I sat in the sun, listening to my iPod and people-watching.

That evening, I met Abby, from England, and Vivianne, from Oregon. I shared my bottle of wine as the 3 of us ate our free dinners in the Archi Rossi cafeteria.

We went out to find some drinks, but stumbled upon a church instead, the Maria de'Ricci on Via Degli Speziali, that has a nightly free concert. So we went inside and listened to an organist, oboist and operatic singer, filling the small church from marble floor to vaulted ceilings with their incredible music.

I was sitting on a bench next to an old man, swaddled in a large blanket. Soon after sitting down, he revealed a bottle that he was hiding, tipping it towards me to offer me a swig. Abby, sitting next to me, thought this was hilarious. And it was, but I declined.

It was all downhill from there. In a husky, barely understandable voice, he tried to carry on a conversation with me during the concert. A lot of accusing looks and shushing was directed at him (and me). Abby, Vivianne and I had no other choice but to get up and stand at the back of the church because he wouldn't stop. It wasn't my fault though. He kept talking to himself even after we got up.

Afterwards, we got some wine, talked for a while, and called it a night.