Farewell Firenze

A look down at Pitti Palace from the Boboli Gardens.
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Well, it is hard to say how I will feel when I leave this place.  I truly love Tuscany!  We arrived on the morning train from Rome, and made a plan to meet up again in the afternoon to take the bus to Sesto Fiorentino to see the Villa Corsi Salviati!  How exciting.  We caught the number 28 bus out to the suburbs, and it was eerie how familiar the ride was.  It took about a half an hour to reach the Villa.  Its tall wall still are intimidating from the street.  It looks as if nothing as beautiful as the Villa could lie behind them.  We did not email or call before hand, so we were just going on blind luck that someone would let us in!

A beautiful fall tree in the Boboli Gardens.
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We knocked at a couple different doors, and then finally, when we were debating what to do, a group of students were heading inside.  We explained that we were alumni, and they led us right in.  Seeing the chalkboard with the daily menu right at the kitchen door brought it all back!  We walked through the doors into the gardens and bocce court, and even the smells were the same!  It is amazing how after 7 years, a place doesnt change.  We checked in with the assistant director before roaming the gardens.  The staff is still mostly the same, and even Bruno, the old gardener is still there!  There are hens that inhabit the hedges now, which are new, but overall the Villa is still the Villa!

The giant hedges make huge mazes throughout the gardens.
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After our tour, we walked through Sesto, which is basically the same small suburb as well.  We tried to go to the Sesto Pub, but it was closed for the afternoon.  We did however, go to Esselunga, the end all be all grocery store of Sesto!  All you former Villa inhabitants, I know you are jealous!  We then took the bus back to Florence for dinner in the city.

My last day here I explored the Boboli Gardens in the morning.  It was cool and sunny, and a beautiful day for hiking through the giant hedge maze.  I think my pictures turned out pretty good in the morning light.  I saw some of the Pitti Palace museums, and then headed back across the bridge for some lunch.  I met Liz and Karl for coffee in the afternoon, and then we wandered the markets for last minute souvenirs.  We met up with the rest of the Koto family to walk on the Ponte Vecchio and explore.  It was a perfect last day in Florence.  I enjoyed some great Tuscan vegetables for dinner, not turkey, but a good Thanksgiving meal non the less.  I said good bye to the Kotos, and headed to the hostel to wait up to call home.

The palace walls surrounding the gardens.
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I was able to talk to the Rummelhoffs and the whole fam at the Finleys.  It was super nice to hear from everyone, but as Trish says, hard as well.  Tomorrow morning I take a train to Milan for just the night, and then I fly to Amsterdam to meet Will and Julie.  Sounds like trouble!