04 Oct 1985, Posted by Scott An Chora in Travelogue, No Comments.

10/04 Flornance, Italy

I was out at first light and headed toward Bologna.  While standing in the train station in front of an electronic schedule I noticed three young ladies behind me looking over my shoulder.  They were three young Americans also looking for the train to Florence, so I introduced myself.  Since the four of us had three hours to burn until our train departed, I accompanied one of the young ladies through the streets in search of a sweater.  Her mother had purchased her father a sweater from Bologna years ago that he had always enjoyed.  She thought it would make a great gift so we went searching.  When we returned to the park to meet up with the other half of our group they were surrounded by men, each taking their shot at romance.  We kind of provided the needed excuse to say goodbye.

I don’t recall how we ended up on the wrong train.  We were on the correct platform and the train we boarded left at the expected time.  We were having a good time, the conversations were interesting but then it hit me.  We were traveling in the wrong direction.  When I first mentioned it everybody thought I was teasing.  Once they knew I was serious we tried to communicate with the locals on the train to confirm my notion.  Shit! I quickly began reviewing the train schedules and decided our best bet was to get off at the next stop and head back the way we came.  My three new lady friends had intended to meet some friends in Florence but the best we could do under our new circumstances was to arrive two hours late if nothing else went wrong.  So we got off the train in a small station with time to burn.  Thank God they sold bottles of wine.

We ended up in Florence exactly two hours late.  We looked about but didn’t see any of their friends.  So instead of walking around searching for them I suggested sitting in front of one of the restaurants in view of where we were to meet.  That way we could take advantage of the situation and get something to eat at the same time.  The food was excellent but I almost lost a tooth.  I ate a Canzone and the olives hidden inside still had their pits.  Now I know better.  We gave up on their friends and decided it was best to head toward the hostel to ensure we had beds for the night.  So we crossed the river and located the front door of the address in hand.  The gentlemen at the door explained “There’s room for the ladies but you’ll have to look elsewhere”.  So we made arrangements to meet up the next morning there at the clerk’s desk.  I was given an address of another hostel on the opposite corner of the city that possibly could accommodate men and I headed out alone into the night.  I stopped along the way to enjoy some of the life gathered in the Plaza Della Signoria.  There were acts on every corner and the music echoed between the buildings.  I circulated between acts and meandered toward the hostel.  A young couple approached me and said something in Italian.  I respond with a look of curiosity.  They attempted again.  It was apparent that they were begging for money, or more accurately making fun of begging for money.  I reached in my pocket and pulled out my change purse exposing what change I had available.  Their laughter increased when they realized that I had less money than they did so they offered me some of theirs to continue the joke.  When I finally arrived at the address I was given I suppose I had to consider myself lucky because only one bed remained.  I was to share a room with seven others.  Florence was currently experience a drought so house rules were established regarding showers; they could only be taken between seven and nine in the morning.  Well, that mean I need to be the first up and first out.  It didn’t take long for somebody to start pounding on the door.

I’m up and out first almost everyday.  I enjoyed walking the empty streets before they were taken over.  Today this gave me an opportunity to see the entire church floor without anybody cluttering on top of it.  I’ve seen a lot of churches and considered this one boring but there’s something to say about being alone in a church of that size.  As my time approached I meandered along the river walking among groups of school kids gathering before class.  I managed to find my way back to the girl’s hostel.  I considered myself early so I made myself comfortable in an adjacent lounge and accepted the free coffee.  I was catching up on some writing when a gentleman started up a conversation.  Eventually I checked the bulletin boards to discover a note addressed to me.  Apparently the girls didn’t think to check the lounge.  They headed into town early and suggested we meet up later that day.  I headed to the museum and wandered behind a group of students to take advantage of their guide.  All of the students were from the United Sates and ranged from about nine to maybe eleven years old.  They were each given an assignment sheet to fill out in association with their trek through the museum.  I though it in good humor to provide some of the students answers with perspectives that would shock their teacher, some correct and comical.  When I got tired of walking I took a break and rested at one of the windows looking out from the third floor onto the square below.  I noticed below a pick pocket casing the crowd.  I pointed him out to two others and we had fun trying to warn anybody he was about to make contract with.  He got annoyed with us and scampered off.

Somewhere in the middle of trekking around the city I came across a pair of young ladies from Rotterdam.  They suggested since it was so hot outside that we should relax and put down a couple of drinks.  We got to talking and were kind of hitting it off and decided to explore the Glardino before dark.  Apparently somebody was killed there a few days back and over the past month there were a couple of rapes, so they had administered a curfew over the area.  We actually got chased out.  We sat up on a sill at the entrance the Del Pitti and talked into the dark trading ideas on morality and life.  “When it comes to ……, I just can’t say no”, she whispered in my ear.  Well I say “No.  No thanks”.  The two were on their way to Pakistan to meet up with Mother Teresa’s efforts and invited me to come along.  A venture like that would compromise my original plans and budget so I declined.  Time took us in different directions and I eventually ended up alone in the same square as the night before.  After goodbye kisses I headed across town towards my bed.  By comparison that night’s crowd looked as if it was prisoner’s night out.  Most of the crowd appeared to have avoided bathing for some time and most of their clothes looked second hand Vagabond at best.  In passing by they would reach out and try to grab a hand, attempt to read a palm and aggressively attempt to solicit for money.  I kept my eyes open all day and had cased the location we were to meet.  But in the end there was no sign of the girls.  Perhaps they never saw my note or came across it too late in the day.