Thursday morning musings from Florence
It's just after 11 in the morning, and I'm sitting at a small café near the Piazza della Repubblica, watching Florence come alive. I arrived here just 10 minutes before they opened at 9:00, so I've been people-watching for a couple of hours now. There's something deeply satisfying about observing a city wake up.
The weather is mild today - about 15°C with partly sunny skies. Perfect for exploring. I've already had two espressos (good, but not quite... well, they're different) and a cornetto. The barista laughed when I ordered my third coffee. "Americano?" she asked. When I told her I was Norwegian, she nodded knowingly. "Ah, you people drink more coffee than Italians."
This morning I woke up at 6:30 and decided to beat the crowds to the Duomo. I arrived at the ticket office at 8:20 for the 8:30 opening. The early start was worth it - climbing those 463 steps to the top of Brunelleschi's dome was breathtaking in more ways than one. My legs are still feeling it! The view from the top was spectacular - terracotta rooftops spreading in all directions, with the Tuscan hills in the distance.
What struck me most was the dome's construction. The herringbone brickwork pattern is an engineering marvel, especially considering it was built in the 1400s. I found myself examining the structural techniques for longer than the actual views. How did they solve these complex architectural problems without modern technology?
I'm noticing a shift in how I experience places. After my time in Varenna, I'm less concerned with checking off every tourist site and more interested in understanding the essence of where I am. This morning, after descending from the dome, I deliberately took a wrong turn and wandered through some quieter streets away from the main attractions. I found a tiny bakery where the owner was teaching his grandson how to shape bread dough.
I've noticed yellow fog warnings for tonight and tomorrow morning. The barista mentioned it's common this time of year. "The fog comes in the evening and burns off by mid-morning," she explained. "The valleys get the worst of it."
It's day 79 of my journey, with 421 days remaining. Nearly 16% complete. Sometimes that feels like I've accomplished a lot, other times it feels like I've barely begun. I wonder what version of myself will be writing the final entries of this blog in January 2027.
This afternoon, I'm planning to visit the Uffizi Gallery. I've booked a ticket for 2:00 PM. Everyone says you need at least three hours there, so I'm prepared for an afternoon of Renaissance masterpieces. I've read that Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" and "Primavera" are must-sees, along with works by Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael.
I'm also keeping an eye on transportation news. Apparently there's an EasyJet crew strike planned for tomorrow afternoon, though that shouldn't affect me. There's also a nationwide rail strike coming up later this month. I'll need to plan around that if I'm still in Italy by then.
I've been thinking about the different rhythms of travel. In Varenna, I settled into a slow, contemplative pace. Here in Florence, there's so much to see that I feel a slight pull toward my old checklist mentality. But I'm resisting. Quality over quantity. Depth over breadth. These are the lessons I'm carrying forward.
Time to finish this coffee and continue exploring. The city awaits.
[Photo: Morning light on the Duomo's dome, taken from a quiet side street]