Monday 20th September

 

20/09/04 Day 79

Good job we had the alarm clock as we had to wake at 6, gulp down some breakfast and run through San Gimignano in the dark but with the sky slowly lightening and lighting the ruined hills. We got the bus for free which was nice. There was a little Erin had a grunt in each machine + bus felt up. How most beautiful sunny of the

quibble over which platform we were to wait at but thanks to him we got the right train. However when I suggested was we could stay on that train right to Florence rather than change at Empoli that seemed like a silly idea so we got off in Empoli, stood around for 10 mins and then got on another train to Florence where we had to stand for half an hour. In Florence train station I managed to spill water everywhere, get my bag wet and the LP soaked. On the next train to Bologna I fell asleep which hadn't happened since Greece. Bologna was a pleasant surprise - big and touristy but not crowded or smelly. We made a pleasant visit to Modena where you must in his old-place car to go to the hotel. Another train to Verona.

The final destination! We were surrounded by water even before we arrived at the main station. We had to queue to get into the tourist office who gave us an exciting accommodation guide and reassured us we'd get a bed. So we went off in search of the first listed with a kitchen. And after many dead-ends (ie roads that stop and continue on the other side of water) we found it. Aged - now a school form of water) we found it. Aged - now a school resorted to the telephone which wasn't much help either and finally ended up in one of the attack in cappuccino very cool, mention later. The hotel was great - separate sex dorms, nice staff, mainly breakfast but femininegenerally not very friendly but we had no other choice and had to stay that night. We had two more places on the short list but still no luck. The island incidentally was strange - very quiet despite being occupied by locals - it was sort of fairy-tale like. We vaporetted (?) back to the mainland and to San Marco where the tourists suddenly appeared. We wandered through the square/not particularly stunned by the buildings but interested in the many cafes/restaurants complete with white tuxedoed waiters. When we eventually found the tourist info we had a good old rant about the uselessness of the booklet and mentioned we had had a B+B but got a strange Italian noise down the phone. We pranced and we rasped the reward! The info lady rang "Rooms for Friends" who said they had a bed for us. Some walked half way except Venice, following hand written signs to the street we were greeted by a little old lady who sat us down and made us eat biscuits and drink iced tea. It turned out that it wasn't a room but a 2-bed in hallway for €145. Mmm we thought but we couldn't face setting the search again. After a bit of pointing, writing and basic Italian we agreed on the terms. I'll leave Brian to comment on the daughter - it's much

too frightening. We eventually managed to get out of the place and find a nice chocolate shop. We took a seat in San Marco Square and munched on the most quality chocolate I'd ever had. And to accompany the feast we listened to the various restaurant bands playing away in competition with the others across the square for the loudest applause.