My Last Day In Florence

As most of you know,I am actually home now. I got home late Thursday night and have been holed up in my room. I left my cell phone in Italy, so I don't even have that! It is nice, though. I have been relaxing and unpacking, trying to get my schedule back to normal (currently it is 4:30 in the morning). There are things that make this homecoming wonderful: family, friends, CHRISTMAS, and work. However, I cannot deny that I am very sad to be away from Alex. I cannot believe my trip is over. We spent 1 year and three months waiting to be together again, anticipating my trip. Now, it is over and I am left not knowing when I will see him again. It is very hard for me to do this again. I know we will survive, but I am ready to be with him for good.

My last day in Florence was somewhat uneventful I ran around doing last minute Christmas errands and packing. Alex was so amazing with all of his help and support. As I ran around, I took a lot of pics, despite the cloudy, cold day.





Being my last day, of course I had to eat some of my favorite things. First, we started with a Kebab Piadina. I am not sure if I have ever mentioned this, but Kebab places are very common in Florence. We like to get what is called a Piadina. It is like a big tortilla wrapped around beef from a big kebab, like the kind of meat you get in a Gyro. Then they add add lettuce, tomato, onion, hummus, taziki, french fries, ketchup, and hot sauce. Then it is all wrapped up, like a big burrito. It may not be Italian food, but it is simply delicious! We have a specific place we like to go to called Paniteca Babilonia. They guys who own it are Turkish and very nice.

Getting my Last Kebab
(It looks a lot bigger in the photo. Remember, the camera adds 10 Lbs)

After lunch, everyone has to have their coffee. I got mine from our favorite bar next to the shop called Bar La Badia. The owners are Antonio and Maria Antonia. They are wonderful friends and have great coffee. Here I am , enjoying my last Bar La Badia Cappucino:


For dinner, Alex and I had our last date for a while. What better place to do that than Acqua al'Due. It was a bitter sweet night. I was so thankful to spend this last wonderful evening with him. I was especially excited because it was a Wednesday and Alex and I, through rigorous study, have determined that the Wednesday night chef makes the best port sauce. It is the richest, spiciest version. While we tried AGAIN to get the recipe out of the waitress, she would not budge. I am now committed more that ever to figuring it out!

The Last Insalata Greca


The Last Canneloni al Marscapone e Funghi
(which by the way is a new fav and absolutely to die for)


The last, sniff sniff, Petto did Pollo al Porto
( I am pretty sure the heart shape is no coincidence)


The Last Picture of Us.... For now

And of course a delicious dinner would not be complete without the perfect last Italian dessert... Cookies N' Cream Gelato from our place, Gelateria dei Neri.



We capped off my day with a trip to the 24 hour Pharmacy to get some needed items for the plane. This is no ordinary Farmacia, let me tell you. They do not keep the store open 24 hours. There is actually a little hole in the outer door. So, you ring the bell and the pharmacist comes on the speaker and asks what you want. You place your order and wait. Eventually, the little door opens and a hand reaches out for your money. Once you have paid, the hand comes out again with your meds. It is pretty funny, I have to admit, and to a passer-by who does not know any better, it looks a little shady!

Gettin' The Money Ready


Gettin' The Goods

Fianlly, we returned home for some last minute packing and time together. It was hard to sleep, imagining the LONG journey ahead. By morning, the rain had come. As I crossed over Ponte Le Grazie, our bridge, I saw the Arno had risen tremendously. I felt as though I was definitely leaving Florence at the right time. It would not be the first time I have left Italy as waters rose. In 1997, we left Lake Como as the flooding came. If we had stayed one more day, who knows what would have happened. The same was true for this journey. While Florence has not flooded yet, the river has been dangerously high. Flooding can be a huge problem and is a somewhat recent history for Florentines, reminding them of the 1966 flood that devastated the city. There has been, however, flooding in Rome with many deaths.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/12/13/italy.bad.weather/


So, as I left Florence, it was cold and sad. The goodbye at the airport was the hardest I have ever experienced. People stared at me as I cried and I wondered, "Don't people ever cry in airports?" I took off safely and made it to a beautiful, snowy Zurich. There were huge, puffy snow flakes falling, and it was peaceful. The rest of my journey was very smooth and I am lucky to be home safe and sound.

I hope you have enjoyed my journey along with me. It has been a pleasure sharing this trip with you all, and I am so thankful for your emails and comments. My goal in writing all of this is to give you the experiences I have had that maybe you have not, or that you can relate too. Please stay tuned for a post coming called "Michelle and Alex' Best of Italy." I will be compiling a list and contact info of all Alex and My's favorite spots in Florence. This way, if you ever get to Florence, you will know exactly where to go for a good time. There are so many restaurants in Florence, it is hard to decide. I hope I can be your guide.

Buona notte e buona fortuna!