I love traveling by train in Italy. It's an easy matter to look up train schedules on the internet (at trenitalia.it), and most trains in Italy are pretty reliable, comfortable and affordable. The only hassle I had this time was hauling a large bag around, one I bought at the last minute to accommodate the winter clothes, boots, umbrella and raincoat I'd been advised to bring, but never really needed, as it never turned cold during my stay. I much prefer traveling light and making do, as I did on my last trip. (And will do again on the next one!)
From the train station in Arquata Scrivia, I caught a train to Genoa, a port city along the Riviera. As we moved away from the misty mountains and down towards Genoa, the air was suddenly warm and moist, and I enjoyed the sunny, seaside views on that leg of the trip. In Genoa, I changed trains for Pisa, and in Pisa, I changed trains again, the last part of my journey to Florence. This part of the journey was familiar to me, as I'd gone this route on my previous trip last May. The only photo I took of my train travels this time is shown below, of a young man sacked out on the floor behind me. At least I hope he was sacked out...it was hard to tell what condition he was in, as he looked pretty lifeless. Still, it was an amusing sight...
All in all, on my journey from Milan to Florence (via Gavi), I traveled through four of Italy's regions: Lombardia, Piemonte, Liguria and Toscana...each region with its own distinctive terrain, all of it a feast for the eyes.
I arrived in Firenze that afternoon, and took off from la stazione with my heavy bag in tow, walking down the narrow streets in the misty afternoon. As it turns out, I took a circuitous route, so it was nearly an hour later when I found the park across the street from the flat where I'd be staying. The park in Piazza D'Azeglio became a landmark for me, as I walked by it several times each day on my way to and from school. I was mesmerized by the tall trees and their beautiful fall foliage.
Over the next two weeks, I would watch the leaves slowly fall to the ground and stay there, in layers of color. There were no breezes to move them, no custodians to sweep them away. They became, quite literally, a carpet of leaves, lasting the whole of my stay in Firenze.
At one end of the park there's a carousel, which is lit up at night with green and blue lights. I rarely saw it being used, but it was there, ready and waiting for children to enjoy it.
After taking time to enjoy the park, I crossed the busiest street in Florence and located the flat that would be my home for two weeks. Stay tuned for the next installment of life in Florence.
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