Friday 26 July 2013
After some discussions with Michelle and Norm we have changed our plans. We decided to leave San Baranto today and go down to Florence and stay there for the evening. Michelle and Norm will now be departing Italy tomorrow and heading back to Melbourne and I will be going on to London (rather than go there on Monday).
The 3 of us stayed in a lovely little hotel that was walking distance from the railway station. Stinking hot once again (approx. 40 degrees) so we enjoyed a few pre-dinner drinks in the cool courtyard of the hotel and headed out for dinner around
9.00pm. Florence was just lovely to walk around in the evening as the streets were quieter (the hordes of tourists not there...) and obviously a bit cooler. As we walked around we came across the most magical event. In one of old streets there was a group of men all dressed up in old Florentine costumes. We had a chat to one of them and he advised they were members of the historical society and that today (Friday 26 July) was the day for the Patron Saint of Saint Anna who was the original Patron Saint for Florence. So of course we hung around and then watched the group procession, with drums and trumpets, proceed through the streets of Florence to their final destination of il Duomo. It was wonderful, colourful and noisy and we were just so lucky to be there at the right time.
After dinner, on our return to the hotel, we had a nightcap (and yes I had my Campari and soda) in the courtyard as tomorrow Michelle, Norm and I would go our separate ways.
