Venerdì in Firenza

Air France did a fine job of getting us from Paris to Florence.

Well, it's French you know, and a nice little snack of bread, cheese, salami and wine is not out of place, even at 35,000 feet.

We arrived only to find that there is a taxi strike BUT some rogue drivers are still working and so we queued up and sure enough, a steady stream of taxi's was picking up fares and heading into the city.   We arrived at the apartment's "sister" hotel and were walked the one block to the apartment.

It's on the first floor, has two bedrooms, one bath, salon, kitchen/dining room and, an extra treat, a little atrium with a washing machine.   BUT, let me kvetch for just one minute.  I have been a VRBO client for more than 10 years.  Mr. C and I have stayed in apartments all over the world, foreign and domestic.  We have always found some basics for our use; some kitchen staples, bathroom amenities, etc.  This place was ABSOLUTELY EMPTY except for toilet paper and automatic dishwasher soap.  Not a grain of salt, a sliver of bath soap, a drop of water, a paper napkin in the place.  Not a great start.  So off to the market we went to "furnish" this kitchen with things like olive oil, vinegar, coffee, etc.  plus to buy goodies for dinner.   Here's what it looked like:  roast chicken, salad, cheese, and a yummy whole wheat bread.  Oh, and a nice Italian white wine.

 We also needed another blanket ~ there was only one ~ but we'll get that tomorrow.

This morning we went off to the local street market held in an area just behind our apartment.  Fresh produce, cheese, baked things, flowers, plus clothing and leather goods.  The produce is absolutely beautiful, bountiful, inexpensive. 

There is also an indoor marked connected to it.  Here you will find meat and fish plus things like pasta, grains, packaged goods.

sacks of various grains

Beautiful porcini mushrooms selling for €160.00/kilo

Dried tomatoes in oil-so beautiful and fragrant 

Then we headed outside to get some other goodies.

beautiful, sweet, juicy clementines

striated eggplant about the size of a pear

I've never seen horse chestnuts and wouldn't know what to do with them . . .

 . . . and even if I did know what to do, I'm not sure I would!

After the big market we went to the post office to send off cards, back to Caron for more basic Florentine staples; water, wine, dry salami, bread, 2 little Prosecos for evening toasts, more fruit and veggies, and to the bank to get the cash to pay for it all.

 I am happy to report that Dorothy is taking a little Italian vacation, too, to visit her hundreds of cousins both here and in Paris.  She,too, is having a wonderful time!