After a delayed flight and one lost bag, we made it back to Florence exhausted, but happy. As we were approaching Florence in the airplane about to land, I was thinking back to when I left for my trip to the US. How I left by myself as a single woman and was coming back with Alessandro as a married woman. It feels as if months have passed, but instead it has only been two weeks. I'm happy with how everything turned out, and couldn't have asked for a better trip.
We took a taxi to our apartment and I gazed at the shops that were still open on via Cerretani. I smiled when I looked up and saw the Duomo in front of us. We drove around the Duomo and I admired it with my head glued to the car window. The front window was open and I inhaled deeply to take in the smell of my city. "Ah, Firenze..." I said to myself. I smiled over at Alessandro who also looked happy to be back.
I was surprised that the weather was rather mild. Friends and family kept telling us how cold it was. We read that the sindaco (mayor) had given his OK to allow buildings to turn on the riscaldamento centrale (central heating) sooner this year because it was so cold. I was bracing myself for the worst since when we left, it was rather cool but still sunny.
We dropped off our three out of the four suitcases to our apartment and called Alessandro's dad to pick us up to go to their place for dinner. They waited at least an hour to have dinner with us so we could tell them all about our trip.
Although we didn't get to see much of the city, I did peek out my window to look at the Arno river. I saw people with coats and scarves on walking along the river and looked out at the lights across the way. It feels wonderful to be back in Florence, and I am thrilled about my new life in my old city. I know that things will be a little different now that I am married. I have heard people say that a piece of paper doesn't change anything, but I feel as if so much has changed already in my relationship to Alessandro and that there is now a stronger and deeper bond between us. I can't foresee what will be different as of yet, but I do know that there will be changes as marito (husband) and moglie (wife). And, that is exciting.
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