A bit of a mad rush of taxi-rides, air flights and trains has gotten me from Florence this morning back to London this evening. Notes from the journey: tearing through Rome train station late morning, running full speed through the crowds pushing a luggage trolley loaded with my bags, to catch the airport train; a grim, silent struggle with a British businessman for possession of the arm-rest on the plane from Brussels to Heathrow; talking soccer for the entire taxi-ride from Paddington Station to my hotel with the salt-of-the-earth cockney taxi-driver.

As I sit here, the window wide open overlooking Russel Square, a cool breeze wafting over me, Florence seems a world away. It felt great to be arriving back in London. Italy was very kind to me, but it's always nice to come home, so to speak.

Since it's already fairly late, and I'm tired, I won't write much, just this once. By far the nicest event of the day was opening the door of my hotel room to find finally a room with a view! I appear to have the best situated room in this large hotel - on the top floor, and on a corner, with views in two directions. And the window opens wide, letting in the evening sunlight dappled green by the trees in Russel Square across the street.

Looking out the side window

My view, including the British Museum in the middle ... and Senate House (part of the University of London, and used as the Ministry of Truth in "1984") and the Post Office Tower, far right.

Once I was settled, I called the older of my two sisters, Sally, and my parents, just to let them know I'd arrived, and that it was too late to take the train to St. Albans (where they all live, about 25 miles away) tonight, but that I'd come tomorrow morning. I hadn't spoken with Sally in a couple of years and I'd forgotten how she can TALK! Yet it was odd talking with her after such a long time - it felt simultaneously completely intimate and like talking to a complete stranger. What will meeting them be like, for the first time in almost five years?