First off let me say that it takes one hour and fifteen minutes to get from Montepulciano to Florence in a car.

Today we went to Florence on public transportation and utilized it the entire day. We were as green as Kermit the Frog. The environment loved us. The things I noticed immediately: It took 30 minutes to get to the train station in the car going in a direction - not toward Florence. We parked over 500 meters away from the train station and were lucky to find a place to park at all. It cost $33 two person, round trip for the privilege of using the train. It took 1:40 on the train plus :30 to get to the station. That is 2:10 each way or 4:20 for a 2:30 trip in the car. But remember, the environment loved us.

We left at 7:15 am and got back to the apartment at 7:45 pm. In that time we saw two churches, had a nice lunch and visited the Piazzale Michalangelo – a park above the city with a fabulous view. THAT’S ALL FOLKS. But remember, the environment loved us.

Now for the bus to Piazzale Michalangelo: After being told the wrong bus number by Tourist Information, we adapted and got on the old #13 bus from the Santa Maria Novella Train Station. Although the sticker inside the bus said conditione totale, there was no air conditioning, total or otherwise. The day’s mid 80 degree temperatures cured several of the riders very nicely and the bus was full to the gills and aromatic. On the way back I also realized that if there is traffic the bus actually goes slower than the cars. But remember, the environment loved us.

On the train ride home let us just say “filled to the gills” did not apply here. Actually it is more like a South American bus where the locals ride in the bus, on the running boards, on the roof and every imaginable hand hold is utilized. This train was nice, smooth and quiet but people stood in the aisles and sat in every nook and cranny available. But remember, the environment loved us.

The day in Florence was lovely as Florence always is and the day was filled with a warm cloudless sky. The density of tourists was much reduced from the summer months. We entered two Churches, Santa Maria Novella and San Lorenzo. Both had entry fees with sections that we also wanted to see requiring another entrance fee at which we both balked.

Some day, many years from now, all of the important Medieval and Renaissance structures of Europe will have had their facades cleaned but now it is a question of which areas of each structure will be wrapped. Today in Florence it was the entire façade of Santa Maria Novella, the dome “nipple” of the Duomo, and the bell tower of Santa Croce. The cleaned areas do look amazing.

For lunch we ate at Trattoria Enzo e Piero, a wonderful family owned restaurant that we stumbled upon in 2004. The daughter/granddaughter waited on us again. The food was excellent sitting in the outside eating area. Ann and I finished off a liter of sparkling water and a half liter of vino rosso di casa. We didn’t have to drive home – and Italy loved us for that!

Lesson for Day 24: For one day at least the environment loved me!