sono a Firenze

I left DC yesterday, flying to Florence with Caitlin, a friend from my Master's program. The flight was a long vigil, and dawn found us in Europe. When we arrived in Florence, we waited for a bag of Caitlin's that never appeared. Once the carousel stopped, the baggage claim area had emptied except for the line of unlucky people at the Lost and Found desk. While Caitlin waited there, a police officer strolled in with a German shepherd, and the airport staff greeted them warmly. The officer let the dog off the leash, and it leapt about, eliciting affection from the staff. Soon another officer with another German shepherd arrived, and they followed suit. I watched the bomb-sniffing dogs playing while the officers and staff chatted and laughed. I was good to be in Italy.

I met my new roommate, Silvia; we drank tea and talked. I unpacked and left the apartment to buy soap at a nearby farmacia. It rained on the walk back. The cobblestones shone, and the swollen Arno churned brown.