REOCCURRING BEDSIDE ANGELS

Comfortably relaxing in bed in Florence Italy I got to thinking. When I was a budding young teenager my parents took me to Marco Island, FL.  Back in the early 70's there were only one or two condominium complexes over two stories high and except for the white sanded beaches the place was essentially a mosquito ridden dredging pit.  My parents had their agenda which was to check out investment opportunities and I headed for the pool.  Donned in my blue string bikini I swam and frolicked and soaked up the sun for five way-too-many-without-sunscreen hours.  I spent the rest of that week vomiting from sun exposure and blistering up in a very painful and ugly fashion.  If the sun poisoning wasn't bad enough worse was that I wasn't able to leave the condo.  I was reduced to precariously sitting on my butt (the small bit of it that had been covered by the string bikini) and watching the Watergate hearings on TV.  To a budding teen that was painful. The message?  I know what it is like to be miserable on vacation.  I am not miserable.  I have had the flu.

 My First Florence Hotel left a lot to be desired - LIKE AMPLE HEAT AND SUN!

Hmm... that statement makes me ponder.  Is this a vacation and if so a vacation from what?  I have been a NOMAD since July 2011 when I packed all my things in Buenos Aires into boxes, put them in storage and headed to Spain.  I have been back for short visits but not long enough to unpack yet.  I think this is now what one would call "A LIFESTYLE."

To catch ya up... since my last post I went from Padova where my headaches started to Vicenza where my wheezing started to Rovigo where the full flu blew up to Modena where I started to turn the corner.  All of these three day stops were with couchsurfing hosts/angels.  After Modena I said to myself, "That's it."  I really dislike arriving to a host with the premise of wanting to spend time with them and see their local sights (ALL TRUE) but not really having the energy to do much more than sleep and cough up and blow out massive amounts of phlegm.  I decided to go online and book a hotel in Florence in order to be on my own time and my own dime.  I had arranged for a host in Florence but the deal was I would be given a sleeping bag and a place of the floor.  Thank you Che but I need to decline now.  I need a bed.

I booked a cheap one star hotel with breakfast included for three nights.  Beauty and frills made no difference to me.  I would be sleeping most of the time anyway.  I just needed a clean place with a private bath and hot shower, heat and wifi and that's what I got.  It was adequate for three nights but then I switched over to something more simpatico and quaint.  When the manager opened the door to my room I said YES!!!!!!  THIS is what I need.  The first afternoon in the room I became a cat in the sun just soaking it in until the earth moved it beyond my window.  How sublime.  How perfect.  Healing under the Tuscan Sun.   MEOW  PURR.

Later I went out for a walk and to get some snacks and came upon this fellow.  Just walk down any alley here and turn left or right and fall into art.  It really is quite amazing.  The "other" David resides indoors at the Galleria dell'Accademia.  This one is for us peasants without a museum pass.

I am feeling quite well now.  I just have a tinge of under-the-weather-ness.  My left ear is blocked from all the congestion.  That just requires patience.  The pharmacist has sold me what I need.  It is similar to what my doctor in Buenos Aires prescribed to me when I got the flu last year.  It thins out all the gunky stuff so your body can absorb and assimilate it better.  I think I have done well.  I have subscribed myself to Patience.  

There is a piece though, just a tiny piece of me that feels guilty.  Ah but remember the sunburn story.  Sometimes you best just sit for a spell.  Healing takes some time.  I spoke to the hotel owner yesterday when she helped settle me in.  I told her, "People are watching me and my travels, where I go, what I do and how I handle things. There's a part of me that feels that I am paying for a hotel in Florence and therefore I should be out and about looking at all the art and architecture and running all over the city doing everything possible. But I say no, I have time.  I am going to have this cup of tea and wrap up in bed with a good book or lecture on my computer and relax.  After all, all that art and architecture has waited centuries for me to come and see it.  It can wait a little longer."  Sunday should be 60F and sunny.  Let's hope weather dot com is right this time.  I am ready.

I am signing out from Florence now.  Enjoy the weekend wherever you are.

Oh and before I forget...

Today's Italian word is CALDO = HOT as in tea.

Time to put the kettle on.

(TWINNINGS Blackcurrent Tea - Buy some.)

Side photo is of my digs in Toledo Spain in July 2011 when i house sat for a couchsurfing couple going on vacation.  Notice the angels above the bed.  :)