As quiet as it is in my neighborhood, it is that much busier in centro (downtown) in the main touristic loop, which is the area that goes from the Duomo down via Calzaiuoli past Piazza della Signora and then on to the Ponte Vecchio. Then, it loops back around Piazza Repubblica and back toward the Duomo. I love this entire area and today it seemed even busier.
I walked down the entire Borgo degli Albizi from Piazza Salvemini to find a bar that was open and there were only two. I ended up ducking into a bar on via Calzaiuoli where I stood at the bancone (counter) and ordered a spremuta d'arancia (fresh orange juice).
I took one picture of the Palazzo Vecchio to show how many people are out today, but maybe it's not that obvious as the piazza is quite large. The entire via Calzaiuoli was packed with shoppers picking up the last items during the saldi (sales) and checking out the latest fall fashions. I usually have to be aware of people with cameras, but today I also had to be careful not to get hit by large shopping bags too.
My plan was to check out the saldi, but not much was left, so I walked around to enjoy my town.
The weather continues to surprise me. Everyone said that our major heat wave was over and we were well on our way to an early autumn. Last night it rained, and this morning when I went out, it was back to being hot and humid. We hadn't had such heat in weeks (since our last big rainstorm) and today doesn't feel like a fluke.
After my short visit downtown, I walked down Borgo dei Greci where the sidewalks were filled with vendors selling leather goods and posters, which were displayed on the ground. I hadn't been down this street in weeks, but it seemed more crowded than usual. I'm guessing that all the vendors who were in Piazza Santa Croce had to move because of the temporary stadium they built for Benigni.
I was happy to get back home where it was cool and quiet in our apartment. Our windows are shut again because the air outside is hotter than the air inside. Maybe summer is not yet over.
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