Productivity

Hey all,

After spending all day yesterday reading – I caught up last night with the Australian model agent that I mentioned a few weeks ago – the one that they call “The Stranger” despite the fact that she has been living here and working here for 20 years – interesting work too – organising functions and models for events at places like, well, the statue of David... She had been hunting for the last few weeks – I asked what – she claimed deer – I suspect Albanians, but anyway, she took me to some exclusive no-one knows about it terrace to have a look at the town – a stunning view – the waiter there smiled at model agent – then cast a suspicious look over me. A stream of Italian issued from model agent – imperious and rapid. The waiter became unctuous, accommodating – he oozed over towards me and asked if I wanted something to drink. When he had left I asked her what she had said: “Oh, I told him I was showing around a client who was thinking of hiring the place for a function,” she said. Given the state of my clothes she must have a serious amount of stick to make that even half believable. Then we went to an incredibly cheap place for a fantastic hamburger – and then she showed me the flat she is about to move out of (!). The first picture is out the window – that is the Uffizi across the water... The next is another view – that is the Ponte Vecchio – what an astonishing place to live. Ran into an alley somewhere on the way home to escape the motorbikes and talked to K for a while – the play is going well, good reviews – joy. Got some photos of her today, all proud of her mystery present which just arrived, a red leather bag. So – I had a win with my choice of bag...

Today I was hugely productive – ditched my huge NZ coat with model agent for a month – I love it and will need it in not much more than 4-6 weeks, but it weighs a ton and I don't want to try walking around Corsica for a fortnight carrying it. Then found (eventually, after walking past it three times) a camping shop and bought some gas for the stove – a rain-proof poncho, a compass – also got myself a guide-book for Corsica which has about 50 pages dedicated to the GR20 – the walk I plan to do.

And – the highlight of my day – the good cigar shop is open again. I bought a box of Nicaraguans – the guy that owned the shop nodded approvingly – we discussed the scandalous state of Cigar rolling in Cuba, the way they trade shamelessly on the whole Cuba thing, put out boxes where at least three, sometimes as many as five, are too tightly packed to smoke. The Dominicans, the Nicaraguans – they don't have the same mystique – they can't get away with substandard products – they are always (always) well made. He began to lament the fact that no one in Florence seems to understand this – they all want Cubans – they are fools – they are little better than tourists – Cigar tourists!! I left before he got too impassioned.

Everyone I talk to here thinks that I am mildly retarded because I keep getting lost. I can kind of see their point – the entire place is only a few k's across – but was looking today at the numbers on the street where the current hostel is – here they are, in order: 6, 10, 12, 8, 10, 12, 16, 14, 16. Seriously. I guess they do at least trend upwards. These people managed to build enormous churches that have lasted centuries, surviving floods, earthquakes, who knows how many wars. How, I am not sure – it may have been an error of translation but my teacher at school assured me one day that there was no difference in Italian between “on my left” and “on your left”. Which might explain the street numbers.

Was getting extremely stressed yesterday evening online trying to organise train, then accommodation, then ferry, then more accommodation, then more transport etc. Today I have decided that it is stupid to get stressed about details, and I just gave up on it. I will walk to the station tomorrow, get the first train, get a ferry if one is there, otherwise find somewhere to sleep for the night.

Leonard Cohen is playing on Wednesday night here, in the square that the statue of Dante is in. Considered sticking around for it, but decided not too – I like his music – but his voice makes me want to hang myself. Still, it would be a really beautiful place to see some live music.

Bought about three days worth of food – pack is still too heavy – if you were walking in Australia you wouldn't have things like a laptop I suppose – but doable, if not wildly comfortable – I hope. Still have to try to sort out internet access when I get there – this laptop lasts 8-12 hours depending on what I am doing, so with the cell network I should be able to keep in touch for at least a few days, provided I can find somewhere to buy a usb key that works.

Unexplained photo is a fence around a statue on the Ponte Vecchio – Opera singer told me that the last time he was here you couldn't actually see the fence for all the padlocks that encrusted it. They cut them all off, made it illegal.

Cheers, B.