Tuscany Countryside View from Bullet Train
After another beautiful sunrise on our last day in Rome, we were up and out by 8:30AM to take a taxi with our luggage to the train terminal by 9:30AM. We checked the boards with our info that Keith got months ago when our tickets were paid and received. We familiarized ourselves with everything with plenty of time to board about 11:00AM to leave at 11:30 for Florence. It cost one euro to use the public toilet which was a first on this trip for me as we had access in Rome at all the restaurants we ate at and our tour sites. We also were never very far from our suite and came back at least twice during the day.
On the train we shared a double table seat with Stacy and Scott from Oregon who were traveling to Florence for a relative's marriage vow renewal celebration at a winery. They all lived at a winery in Oregon and this 20-year married couple was paying for all their friends and relatives to join them here. The 1.5 hour train trip went extra fast as we had a wonderful visit with this nice couple! The speed was about 150-250 mph and at times our ears were popping especially through the tunnels when the train picked up speed.
I did manage to get one good photo out of the window of the Tuscany countryside. There were many good sites with vineyards and sheep on the hillside and so much more that was quaint and interesting. We were going to the city of Florence with a population of about 400,000. That's more than St. Louis, Missouri but less than Kansas City, Missouri. Coming from Rome, Italy with a population of about 3 million, that's quit a change! Keep in mind that we've lived in the Ozarks in a remote rural county seat of Hermitage, Missouri with about 400 people for over 45 years. Hickory County has 10,000 total population expanding to over 200,000 on holiday weekends as a lake resort community between St. Louis and Kansas City north of Springfield.
The adventure continues...
Train Station in Firenze (Florence), Italy
It was a less than one mile walk with our roller luggage from the train station to our home in Florence for the next 7 nights located at:
Via de Corso 7
Uffizi, Florence,
50122, Italy
It was a little difficult rolling on irregular cobblestone streets and sidewalks and finding our address but we managed fine; just a little tired by the time we got there. It was difficult to find the number "7" above a small door between businesses as the numbering system was all over the place and streets marked in different ways. The GPS on the iPhone got us to "David 2 Leather Factory" and the proprietor pointed us to the small door next to his shop. He may have called the manager, Rudina, as she suddenly opened the door and greeted us but likely she was expecting us. I am glad she was there to help me get my roller luggage up the 4 flights of narrow and sometimes un-railed stone stairway to our "rustic" apartment. Keith managed on his own. The light switches on each level were in different places and it took us a few days to get the hang of it without using the flashlight on our iPhones; the stairway was pitch dark otherwise.
Our main street entrance was next door to a leather shop. We were given a key and combination to enter.
Street views either side of our entrance
Below are views from the amazing balcony that was only a couple blocks from the Duomo which I climbed the 465 steps the next day! But first things first...time to rest for the afternoon upon arrival and minimal unpacking. Then I called my cousins Paul and his daughter, Lucy who arrived the day before driving 11 hours from their home in the Czech Republic. They were staying about a mile away and used the bus to join us for dinner that evening. I chose a restaurant within view of our place across the street.
After a long dinner and visit, we all parted after making tentative plans for the next couple days together. We were all tired and Keith and I were in bed by 10PM on this first night. We all had a nice long visit the next day enjoying our jasmine covered balcony.
Keith and Beti
Paul and Beti
Paul and his daughter Lucy
The dome of the Duomo lite up at night
The Bell Tower at the Duomo lite up at night
We found this accommodation on Booking.com listed as "Yome - Your Home in Florence" and secured it late in July 2023. It was advertised as a "Studio with Terrace - Top Floor. This rustic-style studio is air conditioned and features a terrace with views of Florence Cathedral. It offers a living area with fully equipped kitchenette plus a bathroom with free toiletries and hairdryer. No meal option. Someone will meet you there." During the day, the front door was left open most of the time but we did have the lock code and a key, when needed. We had one key to the door of our unit which then had the last flight of stairs. It had a door bell.
The location was perfect! The price was much less than what we paid in Rome. The "rustic-style" went beyond the decor and extended to poor plumbing which included a leaking bathroom sink that needed repair service for one day without our use as the floor flooded. There was poor water pressure and very limited hot water in the bathroom that had a 2' x 2' size shower. We both found that washing up and doing daily laundry in the kitchen sink was preferred after giving the bathroom sink and shower a couple tries. Towel and bed linen change service was every 3 days. The electric coffee pot didn't work. The gas stove was questionable but Keith could light it. I was not as confident and didn't use it. The refrigerator was fine and was needed for my medicine. The food/water was bought at the grocery around the corner and there was a fresh produce market on the way. The TV worked good but we only watched American westerns and Wheel of Fortune on the last evening anyway; didn't watch the TV at all in Rome. The AC was good but for the first couple days we didn't use it as opening the windows and balcony let in a beautiful breeze...and some mosquitos...so we closed it all up and used the AC. The balcony was used a lot as the breezes being on the 4th story seemed to be enough most of the time to be comfortable; no mosquito issues. This unit was attractive in decor with views of the city and the location was perfect for walking everywhere we wanted within less than a mile! The bed was very comfortable. Even with the very dangerous stairs and less than adequate plumbing in the bathroom, it was still much more than camping for us two old scouts. It was advertised as "rustic!"
All part of the adventure....
Dining Area
Kitchenette
Bedroom viewed from bathroom door
Bedroom viewed from top of the open stairway
Top of the open stairway and balcony door viewed from bedroom
Bedroom window with shutters closed over heater below and AC unit above on left
Bedroom ceiling is brick on rafters
Clothing rack area next to bathroom door
Bathroom side with bidet
Bathroom side with toilet
Seps up to balcony and down to unit's entry door
Large step up to balcony, small step to floor level, open death steps to the unit's door should you miss any of them!
Open step area with counter on right that has TV
The adventure was coming to an end and it was time to go home on Monday May 20th. We had set an alarm for the first time this trip to get up at 4AM to leave this place by 5AM expecting to walk with our roller luggage to the train station again. We had walked less than a mile upon arrival so we gave it plenty of time to find our train by 7AM. We did try to get a taxi but none were found with the app as we had expected would happen this early. We got about 5 minutes into the plaza where I waved a taxi down and he came to us. It was a good thing because it started to sprinkle rain for the first time. Got to the train station in about 5 minutes and began to relax with our first cup of coffee and found our train. The bullet train made it directly to the Rome airport in less than a couple hours as there were some stops. We got around the Rome airport through security easy and settled at our gate with some food about an hour before loading at 11:30AM.
On the Bullet Train from Florence to the Rome Airport
243 Km/h is 151/mph - this was a slower trip with more stops back to Rome than from Rome to Florence which was non-stop.
Roma (Rome) Terminal on the Bullet Train
This flight had the leg room we paid for and the seat next to me was vacant as was the seat next to Keith across the aisle from me. It was so much more comfortable than the flight coming here! The flight to Charlotte, NC was about 9.5 hours airtime traveling 5000 miles. At this point, I'm so confused about the time as there is no way to verify it on the plane. I know I watched two movies and took a nap after the lights went on nighttime mode after I took this sunset shot over who knows where. When we left Italy, there was a 7-hour time difference from the our home in Missouri.
We arrived in Charlotte, NC at 4:45 PM. The Customs line was excruciating! 45 minutes of US Customs coming into the USA and another 30 minutes of TSA check to board our final flight all because of long lines that wrapped around and around. The actual checks took less than a minute. Yes, Global Entry is definitely the way to go! Keith was happy he had gotten his Global Entry pass in a short time but I still had not gotten mine 9 months after applying and paying $100! We separated for the US Customs line 45 minutes which is the longest time we were apart on this whole trip! I very much appreciated that he stayed with me on the TSA line for 30 minutes instead of using his Global Entry status because I was feeling very tired and vulnerable at this point.
We sat at the gate for a couple hours and then boarded the final flight to Springfield, Missouri and then home sweet home before midnight. A taxi, a bullet train, a couple planes, then our pickup truck brought us back home since we left Florence at 5AM 18 hours ago. Once home, I know I have to get up early enough on Tuesday the 21st to pick Bobi Kitty up from Kera's Pet Retreat in Bolivar at 8AM.
"It's about time you guys came home! What's for dinner?"
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