Sunday evening turned into a pretty good, calm evening in Florence. It finally started getting cool at night (thank goodness), but was still raining off and on (bummer). Shortly after my last post Ann and I ran into two Canadians who have been backpacking Europe for 3 months on the cheap. They were fantastic to talk to as they offered me tons of advice of where to go, where to stay, experiences traveling, staying in hostels, meeting new people etc.
They also made me feel better as they said in 3 months they have not had a single issue with safety. They leave their stuff out in hostels all the time and nothing has ever been touched. I don't plan on attempting that same level of trust, but it is good to know they stayed at the cheapest places they could find and were safe. Given, it was a pair of them and solo traveling runs a few higher risks.
These adventurers just made me more excited for my journey. They talked about all the great things they have seen, the great experiences they have had (even sleeping on park benches when they couldn't find a room) and the people they have met and then visited and stayed with later on the trip. The best part is, they are not returning to Canada, they are moving to Australia and just taking a really long time to get there.
After we left our new friends, Ann needed to go pick up some fresh cloths. She had been keeping her bag at her friend Madeline's villa (Madeline is studying abroad in Florence as well and her school - Benedictine - gets a villa for all their students. Pretty much just a dorm, but in Florence, on a hill that overlooks the entire city...the rough life really).
We hop on a bus for the 20 minute ride there. Madeline isn't in, but a random assortment of other people Ann has met are there. We talked to them for about 30 minutes only to realize that one of my acquaintances, whom I played soccer with this summer, was staying there as well. I wanted to freak him out by just appearing, but he was out for the night already. I will make a fun return visit if for no other reason than just to baffle him. I then talked to guy who went to St. Thomas Aquinas high school and though younger than me, we knew a lot of the same people. The best part is, the guys there let me know anytime I am in Florence, I can crash there for free (awesome).
Ann and I left the awesome villa and headed back into the center of town. We decided to get a nicer meal tonight, as it was our last together on this journey. We settle on a nice little restaurant and get seated outside next to 3 older gentlemen. After realizing they are English speakers, I made a few jokes in their direction and get a conversation going. They are from Las Vegas, recently retired and doing a tour of Italy and Germany since they didn't in their youth. They reinforced that I am doing the right thing but not waiting until I was older for this adventure. They are getting ready to leave and offer to buy as a bottle of wine (a topic of conversation), but we had already ordered one and sadly had to decline. Though, we did get a Chianti (my favorite) and we are in the Chianti wine valley and let me say, it was some of the best, smoothest wine I have ever consumed.
The night was pretty uneventful after that. I had a delicious calzone (a house special). Ann and I returned to our room to pack up and for me to get ready to leave Italy. Tomorrow Hungary!
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