Arranged a late check out this morning, and then hopped on a train to Florence.
Was feeling quite pleased with myself as I made my way from the station to the apartment I’ll be staying in for the next week. It’s only ten minutes walk. I was a bit early but I messaged the proprietor, hoping they’d take pity on me as it was raining.
No luck from my first email. Fair enough, I thought, since I’m early. But I thought it was reasonable to expect some kind of response. So I emailed again. No luck. No luck from my next email either. There was a phone number so I texted. No reply. By now it was past the agreed check in time, so I emailed again and WhatsApped. By now I was thoroughly pissed off, wet and hungry, I’d been waiting two hours, so I went and had lunch at a nearby restaurant, with my giant suitcase, and started looking at alternative accommodation. Finally I sent another text and WhatsApp saying if I didn’t hear back I’d be cancelling.
Finally I got a reply. Apparently I’d been sent checking in instructions months ago, also she’d replied to my first text but it had never come through (and still hasn’t). So, armed with the code to the lockbox and thus the keys, eventually I got access to the house. Annoying if I had the information somewhere amongst my old emails but anyway it’s not unreasonable to expect the proprietor to be contactable when you arrive, is it? So much for Booking.com being superior to airbnb.
The apartment is perfect, though, although currently at 11pm I’m listening to drunken inmates from the hostel across the way singing loudly in the street. Hopefully they will go to bed soon.
It’s got a garden which would be lovely in warm dry weather. It was advertised as having a jacuzzi but actually it’s just a spa bath which is weirdly outside. As in, it is empty but it has taps so you have to fill it up if you want a bath. It has jets though.
After settling in I popped round to the local supermarket for supplies, and then ate dinner at home. I just had a pre-made salad and opened the tin of sardines I’ve been carrying around since Portugal, but it makes a nice change from eating out and will save a bit of money.
I had booked a concert to go to in the evening, so a very pleasant walk through town down as far as the river. It’s been raining on and off all day but there were plenty of people out and about even so.
The concert was marvellous. I had a seat at the front and grinned like a fool the whole time. It was a string orchestra and they played four different pieces, all of which I knew, which surprised me. It included Mozart and also The Four Seaons by Verdi. As I walked back to my accommodation at 10:30, town was still very lively, and the old Renaissance buildings looked amazing all lit up. I’m very impressed with Florence so far.
Well the singing has died down a little so time for bed.