This picture doesn't really fall into my narrative today, but I had to include it - an antiquities restorer's workshop I photographed last night.

I checked out of the Hotel Marcus this morning, saying goodbye to Marco who'd been a very friendly host, and took a cab to Termini, the main train station of Rome, to catch the Eurostar. There's always something exciting and romantic about taking a train trip, although I haven't taken one in - jeez, it must be seven years - since I moved from Philly.

Marco of Hotel Marcus

Watching another Eurostar train pull out at Termini

I'd bought my ticket and seat reservation in London, and thankfully, everything checked out - the train had the right train number, pulled in at the right platform, and pulled out exactly to the minute. My seat was even vacant; the only difficulty was struggling on board with all my luggage. I guess I was kind of surprised that it all ran so efficiently - other large-scale or governmental industries in Italy seem to be so poorly run. But Eurostar, I'm guessing, is pan-European.

Call me biased, but, to my eyes, the Italian landscape lacks the deep greens, and perfect, gentle scale of the bucolic English countryside. The glare of the sun is too harsh, draining the land of all but parched colors - colors like "burnt sienna" that I remember hating when I learned to paint as a kid. Having said that, I admit it's not exactly ugly :)

The Italian countryside seen from the train

They never even checked my ticket on the train - I could have travelled for free. The journey only took 90 minutes, so, before long I was in a taxi. First impressions: exotic multi-colored churches, friendly people, exquisite painting- perfect blue skies with sculpted white clouds, jammed with tourists (most of them American, judging by appearances).

First impressions ...

I was immediately impressed with the people at the hotel, who seemed gracious, accomodating and friendly. This impression of Florence continued as I stopped at the tourist office almost next door (since my hotel room wasn't quite ready): I was immediately helped by a beautiful teenage girl who spoke excellent English. I had the strong feeling that I was really going to like Florence. When I finally gained my room, everything seemed just perfect - a small, well- designed, comfortable room: it even has a bidet! The brochure says that it's a fifteenth century palace that was once owned by Rossini. You'd never know it, but I guess I'll take their word. It's not exactly a "room with a view" (the curtains won't even open, never mind the windows), but at least I don't have to kiss Helena Bonham Carter. And the hotel - lots of extras such as free use of a multitude of guide books - and it's only two blocks from the Duomo, one of the most famous sites in Florence.

Not exactly a room with a view, but it's nice anyway :)

After settling in, I decided to check out the Duomo (the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Flore). The first site of it takes your breath away - it's like no cathedral I've ever seen - it's more like a wedding cake than anything else - extremely colorful, when it catches the sun, made up of three different colors of stone, with a very tall dome.

The Duomo

Inside, I was at first a little disappointed. It's one of the starkest, most unadorned cathedrals I've ever seen, and it's lines had no real strength or grace to compensate for the lack of decoration. Then I saw the amazing fresco covering the complete interior of the dome. It's been recently restored and now glows with color.

The fresco covering the interior of the dome of the Duomo - bear in mind that this must be 80 feet in diameter.

There was a long line of sweating (it was etremely hot and humid) tourists waiting to climb the steps inside the dome, so I decided on the second best option, which was to ascend the free-standing Campanille di Giotto, right beside the Duomo, which uses the same materials and decoration, and is almost as high.

Climbing up the Campanille di Giotto

A view of the Duomo through stone-work in the Campanille

At the top of the Campanille (taken by a nice girl from Illinois :). I was seeing all of Florence spread out around me - up close the teracotta roofs and steeples, in the distance the hills.

Since I hadn't been running the day before, I'd made myself walk fast up the Campanile without stopping. So I was predictably tired and thirsty afterwards. There's a great cafe right there in the plaza, and I got a seat with a perfect view. It was worth paying 9,000 lira for a cappucino for that spot!

View from my cafe seat of the Plaza del Duome. As pretty as a postcard, if I do say so myself :)