DAY 20 – ITALIAN VERSIONS OF AMERICAN GAMES

Well, it’s time to leave Florence. I check out of my hotel – which was an old 14^th century Palace, that now is a 6-room hotel. (It sounds cooler than it actually ended up being.) And I slowly wind my way toward the train station. I take another lap through the Leather District (just to see if there is something that I just can’t live without. There isn’t.) And I saunter down to the Duomo again, and take a lap around the Baptistry.

            Along the way I stop in a cute Toy Store. It’s funny to see Italian versions of classic American Games:  Vita (Life), Cluedo (Clue), Taco Gatto Capra Cacio Pizza (Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza) – and my favorite L’Allegro Chirurgo (Operation), which translates to “The Merry Surgeon”. I watched a security guard stalking a young man with a backpack, and he tried to catch him by throwing a security tag at his feet as he walked through the sensors (sneaky!) – but he missed, and the young man continued walking, unaware.

            Another lovely train ride, with a snack box – but this time the Silcenzio car was completely full. Mostly Italian businessmen – most with laptops or books to read. No chitchat on this train ride – just silenzio. which was just great because it allowed me to watch the Italian countryside roll by, completely uninterrupted.

            Once in Milan, I grabbed a taxi (I was too tired to figure out the Metro system this evening) – and I ended up with an adorable taxi driver. He was probably in his 70s, and he was car-dancing to U.S. music from the 1970s – it was totally delightful.  His English was about like my Italian, but smiles are universal.

            He dropped me off at the hotel gate, and I was greeted with the delicate scent of honeysuckle as I entered the front courtyard. Unfortunately that’s where the scent stopped. But that’s OK, because it had been a long day and I was tired. Time to rest up to see Milan tomorrow.