Today I had to go to the American Consulate to get a document notarized. I took the bus to via della Vigna Nuova and walked along the Arno. I usually always walk, but one day I took the number 6 bus and it went down via della Vigna Nuova, so I figured it'd be more convenient to take it. Unfortunately, there were a few manifestazioni (manifestations) in town and the bus was late. I waited at least 20 minutes for it to come, and in that time, I probably could've walked to the American Consulate.
There were a lot of people inside waiting when I arrived, but luckily the servizi per cittadini Americani (services for American citizens) used numbers that were handed to us after we went through security. I always fear that I have to wait a long time, but in the end, I only waited about 10 minutes.
I talked with a few American women who were there as well and said hello to a woman I met in my writing class last year. Each of the two American women that I met told me their quick stories of their lives in Florence. One woman was married, now divorced, to an Italian, had children, and is moving back to the US after many, many years abroad. The other woman has lived all over the world, but has lived in Italy for the past twenty or so years and now has grandchildren here.
I walked out of the American Consulate and walked along the Arno. Sometimes I just can't not be near it. And, with my camera close at hand, I had to take a picture of the water with San Frediano as the backdrop. I was surprised that no one was sunbathing yet along the banks of the Arno.
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