I like this town. Rome overwhelms you with culture to the point where you feel like you’re drowning. This town has an interesting, easy to follow, history that I feel I can grasp. If I spent a week here I would be content. Rome, I could spend two weeks there, living in fear, and still not feel like I’ve scratched the surface.
We had fifteen minutes of free time in a piazza that only had two minutes worth of culture. I wandered into a leather store, Toskana. They told me to ignore the prices on the tags. Take 50% off them. The inflated prices are for tour groups that are taken there and a commission goes to the tour office. Interesting.
Our tour group then went to another leather shop and were given a demonstration of leather manufacture. Then offered a 10% discount for our group…
Hmmmm….
They didn’t have a jacket I liked.
I went back to Toskana and tried on some jackets. There were two I liked but I couldn’t decide. I wanted a women’s opinion. I eventually got the three Canadian girls into the store and made a decision. They then bought two jackets themselves.
They blame me.
All the cultural museums are closed due to a strike. So I can’t seen the original David. (I did see a good replica in the square where he originally stood.) It’s Sunday so I couldn’t climb the cathedral dome. I did pay 6 euro to climb the bell tower. 412 steps, with 4 free ones. Magnificent view from the top.
I wish I had been wearing more than Birkenstock sandals.
Tonight we go to Club Space Electronika, a dance club. I have promised people to get drunk. Let’s see how it turns out.
This may be my last entry.