Today we went downtown to have lunch with a Dutch friend of ours who was visiting Florence and us. We've been to all of our favorite restaurants at least twice in the past week. So, we went out looking for a new one today. Our friend was still looking to eat some more tortellini, which we hadn't had much luck in finding.
I've been pretty disappointed with many of the restaurants that I've been to. Either the food is not that good or the service is even worse. Last night they sat the three of us at a small table and two waiters kept walking by and hitting my chair.
Besides it being hot inside, getting bumped all the time, and them running out of the dish I ordered, we decided to go somewhere else for dessert. I stood up and walked toward the cassa (cash register) to tell them what we ordered and pay. The waiter followed me and typed up the bill for me. He folded it and handed it to me. I didn't even open it up to read it and just handed my money.
Today we decided to try a new restaurant: one that would be less crowded with good food. We thought of walking to Santo Spirito to sit outside in the shade, but then opted for a small osteria near the Mercato del Porcellino that had air conditioning. We ended up quite pleased with the food as well, so my dwindling opinion of the restaurants in town faded just a little bit.
After lunch we walked back through Piazza della Signoria where I took a picture of the few tourists walking in front of the Fontana di Nettuno on a hot Summer day. Now that it's summer, they turned the water back on. As most visitors don't know, there are only a few large fountains in town: this one and a smaller one in Piazza Santo Spirito.
We kept searching out shade to walk in on our way home even if it took a little longer to get home. The second we got in, we turned on the air conditioner. I love the sun and the heat, but I like a little relief from it as well.
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