“As you get older, you really just want to be surrounded by good people. People that are good for you, good to you, and good for your soul.” – Internet Meme
This weekend was filled with spending quality time with some people I love and care about dearly…pilgrims.
Stephen (Aussie who I met on the El Camino del Norte – I wrote about him last week) was in Florence all weekend through this morning (Monday), so we had a lot of time to catch up and do a little sightseeing around the city. It was his first time in Florence and although he kept saying he was just here to see me and didn’t care what we did, we did do some fun touristy things and ate some really delicious food. Some of the highlights; we walked through the Mercato Centrale (Central Market) and looked at all the produce, meats, pasta, olive oils, and touristy trinkets. It’s stimuli overload so prepare yourself if you visit. Took a quick taxi ride up to the top of Piazzale Michelangelo for a view of the city. We visited the Palazzo Pitti (Pitti Palace) where the Medici Family (and then the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and the Kings of Italy from the House of Savoy) lived and ogled over the art collection and the incredible carved and painted ceilings of the building. We walked around the Galleria dell’Accademia (Accademia Gallery) and admired the Statue of David carved out of one giant piece of marble by Michelangelo. Who was only 26 years of age when he began this project. Seriously, what have I been doing with my life? Art and craftsmanship were on another level during the Renaissance. It’s incredible to see up close and personal. I’ve shared a few of my personal favorites below.
It was raining most of the weekend but we are pilgrims and if we learned anything on those darn Caminos, it’s that you don’t quit even when it rains…unless there is a really cute café not far off the path, then you take a break. So we took many café breaks and discussed life. But walking around Florence might be even more beautiful when it rains. We were crossing the Ponte Vecchio to visit the Pitti Palace when I noticed all the colorful umbrellas. This might be one of my favorite photos from this trip so far.
I don’t know if you noticed the city view in the photo above, but the Arno River is very full. It has been raining for a week and it is supposed to continue to rain (off and on) for the next week or so. This is not good, folks. The most recent flood in 1966 devastated the city including the loss of life and permanent damage to many of the artifacts and buildings. To say the locals are very nervous is an understatement. On a side note, many American students (as well as other international students) were here during the ‘66 flood and pitched in to help save the paintings and manuscripts. They are known as Mud Angels – a pretty special group of people. Linked here is a beautiful and impactful interview with an American Mud Angel from Florida on the 50th Anniversary. She describes in detail the horrors of that flood. I highly recommend reading it to get a better understanding of the situation. The Arno has had four major floods, 1333, 1557, 1844, and 1966…it’s 2022 if you notice the pattern you will see why they are concerned. Keep everyone in your thoughts and send good vibes, please.
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On Sunday night after dinner (somehow Stephen found fried chicken – or as he calls it, pilgrim food), Stephen and I said our goodbyes (and Luca too). These goodbyes never get any easier. You never know so make sure you hug the ones you love and tell them how you feel. – Then Luca and I headed back to the apartment to hop on an hour-and-a-half zoom call with a few pilgrims, Sula, Lori & Ken, who we met in 2021 while hiking the Frances (the original way) on the El Camino de Santiago. It was so much fun to see everyone and catch up on our lives.
Sula is a lawyer in Philly. She is of Greek heritage (shout out to all my Greek friends reading this) and is always making me laugh even when she doesn’t mean to…she is a ballbuster and tells it like it is. It’s one of the best things about her. Plus, she has the most adorable dog, Tina Marie, who joined us for a bit, and a sweet little cat who peeked in once on our conversation.
Ken and Lori are a fun couple from Wisconsin, eh. They recently (within the last year or two) retired, sold their house, and consolidated all of their stuff to travel the US in an awesome motorhome (I think that’s what they call it), walk Caminos around the world, and honestly live their best lives. Their retirement is really inspiring. I remember Lori telling me while we were walking last year about how they truly got rid of most everything they owned, including the family photos. I was stunned…I think my heart actually skipped a couple of beats. She said they sent them off to have them transferred to digital and everyone got a copy. Impressive. It was a good reminder for me about “stuff” and how we really don’t need everything we think we need. It sounds like they have some great adventures planned and I can’t wait to see what they are up to next.
I know I talk about the Camino a lot. Probably too much for the average reader but the Camino has changed my life forever. And I know it is not for everyone but whenever you find something that awakens your soul and makes you feel alive – do more of it. Not for me, but for you. And when you do it for yourself, you are actually doing it for me and everyone else. We will feel your energy and carry it with us. I digress….so, as I was saying, I loved sharing my time with all of the pilgrims this weekend. These connections are good for my soul. But as Stephen always says, “you think the Camino is going to fix your life but it really just f&$ks it up. Because once you meet all these amazing people and see the beautiful countries, you can’t really go back to your day job. It just makes you want more and more, and that’s a blessing and a curse.” So true.
*As I’m writing this, Stephen just texted me that he met a young woman on the train to Milan who is from Florence but just finished cycling through Canada and Mexico with her dog…she is also a pilgrim who has walked the El Camino. I love these little connections on passing trains, planes, and buses.
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Final note. I had my Italian language class today. After speaking English all weekend with an Aussie, I couldn’t remember a dang thing. It was like starting all over. Sad face. But on a high note, we have a new student in our class for a week. His name is Saoud and he is from Kuwait. He is an engineer and studied at a university in England so he already speaks a couple of languages and is fitting right in – actually better than I am. After class, Xiaoyen, Saoud, and I went out for lunch to the uber-famous spot All’antico Vinaio for one of their “world famous” sandwiches. I had “La Boss” and it was some of the best prosciutto I’ve ever had…and with the truffle sauce – ahhh bellissima!! New York City friends, they just opened a restaurant in the Greenwich Village last year, go check it out!
Goodnight and much love from Florence. 🇮🇹