Adventures in Fiesole

This is the view of Marc and Amy's apartment into the kitchen. This picture really doesn't do the place any justice--it is so warm and homey. When I arrived late Tuesday night it was glowing in candlelight and they had hot soup on the table for me! It was amazing. Such a warm welcome, a very soft landing in Firenze. On Thursday I took the bus up to Fiesole which is a small town in the hills above Florence. I bought my ticket for the bus from the somewhat mean lady in the Tabacchi store who always wears a tie. She is not exactly rude but not accommodating either. I was nervous about buying it because I wanted to ask for the ticket that has 4 punches on it versus the ticket valid for just one ride (you get a tiny price break on the 4 ride one and I'm always looking out for a bargain). So I asked her for the un billeto per l'autobus con quattro and she got what I was saying! Extremely proud of my accomplishment, I walked off in search of bus #7. On the ride up the hill, the bus driver got into a huge argument with two old ladies. The entire disagreement took place in heated Italian but the gist of it was that the ladies wanted to get off at a place that wasn't really a bus stop and when the driver didn't stop they started yelling "Fermata, fermata" and he started yelling at them (presumbably about how he wasn't going to stop when it wasn't a designated bus stop) and the yelling continued even after they got off on the next stop. He even did the hand gesture where he put his four fingers up to his thumb and shook it up and down for emphasis. I was sitting in the first seat on the bus so I had a front row seat for all the action--I know he was really mad but it was so typically Italian (or at least what we think is stereotypical from movies we see) that I had to fight to keep myself from laughing out loud at the scene. I walked around Fiesole and saw the snow up on the hills. I walked through residential streets that looked like this. Until I came to a view that looked like this. This is the city of Florence in the Arno Valley. Then I walked through the square and sat in a little park overlooking Firenze. I sat reading and waiting for the convent to open so I could tour the little rooms and the church. While I was waiting Marc called to tell me that there was a driver lost in Florence who was delivering my luggage! Yeah! Unfortunately, Marc and Amy were leaving to go to class so I needed to come down the hill to be at the apartment to get my bags. So I headed to the bus and started riding it down the hill. After we had gone a couple stops Amy called me back to tell me that the guy had made it before they left so I didn't have to worry about rushing back. So I pushed the button to request a stop (I wanted to turn around and get back up to Fiesole before I was too far down the hill since I hadn't seen what I had come to see yet) but when the bus driver stopped for me I didn't realize I could only exit out the doors in the middle of the bus. So by the time I realized that and tried to push my way through to those doors, he had shut them and we were driving further down the hill. I pressed the button again and planted myself firmly in front of the middle doors. When he stopped (much further down the hill) I got off in a huff, knowing I was now going to have to walk all the way back up. About halfway up there was some construction on the two lane road so cars had to slow down. As I was walking by there an older man called out to ask if I wanted a ride up to Fiesole (this all was in Italian but I knew what he was asking) and he seemed like a nice man so I gratefully took the ride. I had already walked through the town and knew that he couldn't drive off to fast in any direction and kidnap me--there is just no way in those narrow streets, so I could have escaped if necessary! But he was a very friendly man and though he spoke no English (or French for that matter--that is usually my second question because I do still remember some of my high school French and it is still better than my Italian!) we bonded over our dislike of the war ("la guerra" he said as he made a machine gun sound and motioned with his arms as if shooting out the window). He applauded me ("brava") for studying Italian and then dropped me off in the square with a kiss on the cheek. Here is my friend Giacomo from Fiesole who gave me a ride up the hill: I walked up through the church and into the convent. This is a view into one of the cells. I don't know why it is sideways--maybe it will right itself on your continent. Afterwards I walked back down to Firenze which is about a 4 mile walk. There are gorgeous views the whole way down--things you would miss if you didn't walk and have the time to stop and stare. This is a view of a small grove of olive trees, I believe. Later that afternoon Marc and I had coffee and pastries before he had to go teach. I joined him in his class so they could ask me questions ("Ooh, a real live American girl") and practice their English. Then later we met for pizza at the restaurant across the street from their apartment. I have tons more pictures to share but have had bit of trouble uploading. I start school on Monday so I am hoping to get into a routine there where they have computers I can use to upload. We'll see how that goes! And my luggage arrived perfectly intact--I think it just hung out at LAX a couple extra days. All is well now on that front!