After a quick morning rainfall, the sky cleared a little and the sun shone brightly. The air was still cool outside when I walked to San Lorenzo this afternoon to meet a few friends for lunch. I walked down Borgo degli Albizi, in front of the Duomo, and down Borgo San Lorenzo to my destination.
In the main downtown area, especially near the Duomo, the streets were even more crowded than usual. More people were out walking around today than I have seen all year in centro (downtown). And from the conversations I overheard, most of the tourists were Italians and French.
For a brief respite, I decided to duck into the cloisters of San Lorenzo, which is shown in my picture. I had arrived a little early to my appuntamento (meeting time) and had thought of visiting the church, but there was a short line to get in and I didn't want to wait.
I love sitting in the cloisters to enjoy the peace and quiet: the arches all around the square, the untouched garden in the center, and the dome of the San Lorenzo church hovering above. The sounds of the city fade away and I feel as if I'm transported to another time.
Today, I was able to find a nice corner to sit for a few minutes and enjoy the beautiful and serene space. A few people were taking pictures and visiting the cloisters, but no one walked over to where I was sitting.
When I walked back out to the piazza where people were sitting on the steps, I felt refreshed. I was no longer in a hurry to do anything or get anywhere; I just felt that I could let the day's events lead me where they may.
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