Travel info meter is set to 95% Interesting meter is set to 45% Okay, I’m falling behind because we had spotty WiFi when we were in the uber rural areas so I’m changing up the format for this post and it will be short, concise, and partly in point form so I can get to the next one which has my head spinning with ideas.
Left Corniglia early. Train to Pisa, quick stop, and then onto Florence. Everything good. (Sounds like Donald Trump’s graduating thesis from grade 8, or whatever year they gave him credit for. Yes, I know I’m not a Bob Einstein myself, but just sayin’…).
Just a quick clarification here. I let on previously that Italian trains were substandard based solely on one train trip. Well that would be like judging the West Kootenays based on staying in Ymir, a dreadful place where children rarely have the sense to put just one foot in a pantleg of their jeans and their parents drink their alcohol out of a boot; as compared to Castlegar which is the new hub of sophistication for the entire region. Italian trains are good, not Castlegar good, but not Ymir bad either.
Okay, we arrived in Florence where our host is Barbara. Lovely 3 bedroom apartment on the 3rd floor of a very tastefully decorated building across from the Marriott. It has a gorgeous bathroom with one of those water fountains that you have to get on your knees to use, a bidet I think they call them.
Well Barbara is probably Sophia Loren’s granddaughter or something because she is one of the most beautiful women that has ever let me near them. She has an 11? year old daughter, she’s single and likes to travel. Seriously, if she didn’t have the kid and Carol wasn’t in the picture, and if I was 7 inches taller, 25 years younger and Italian, I think her and I would have a chance, seriously.
There is a 200 sq ft balcony, 40 feet off the ground, facing the mountains, modern kitchen, plenty of storage, king size bed (most of the beds have been kings on this trip) and modern decor and furnishings. And a 20 year old cat that barfs all over if left alone.
To our (Carol’s) good fortune she is leaving the place to us the entire stay while she takes her daughter camping. So I can scratch and belch at will and nobody will care (Carol does the same so we stopped pointing fingers at each other).
Barbara left, we went to see the sites (she had left us a list of her favourite places to visit, eat, shop at, etc. which is one of the biggest plusses of Airbnb stays) and they were amazing. I’ll skip to the fun part where Carol finds 2 more great pubs (Fiddler’s Elbow and King Grizzly) along our route and we have a wonderful day.
The end. (Talk to Carol for details)
Blue Delivery 