After leaving the leasing agency, I grabbed another cab to take me to my new apartment on Via dei Magazzini, right off the Piazza della Signoria. I was to be met there by my landlord, who had only been referred to as Signor Sposato. I pictured a fairly old, possibly curmudgeonly, Italian gentleman. Imagine my surprise when this young guy in his 20s pulled up on his motorcyle! And what a nice guy he is! He lugged all of my (very heavy!) luggage up four flights up stairs; he wouldn't even allow me to touch it! I must admit I was a little concerned about what was awaiting me at first. The heavy wooden front door opened directly into a dark, narrow stairway with chipped and cracked cement steps -- not glamorous by any means! But the minute the opened the door to my apartment I fell in love!
My apartment is located on the top of floor of a building that dates back several centuries, on a narrow cobblestone street. I have a living room (with working fireplace!), a cooking "niche" (which consists of a four-burner stove, a dorm-size fridge, a toaster oven, and a sink (which is perfectly fine for me -- I'm not much of a cook!), a small dining area, a bathroom (complete with bidet!), and a small bedroom with a fairly large closet (which is a good thing for me!). But the crowning touch (literally) is a private rooftop terrace with a table and chairs and a 360-degree view of Florence. I'll be spending a lot of time up there. It also had some things I didn't expect, including a television (Italian channels only) and a washing machine (but no dryer, which is typical in Italian apartments). Yes, I'll be hanging my clothes out to dry! And towels, piles of towels! Everyone told me that towels are never provided, so this came as a surprise. I had even brought a small set of my own!
I have windows everywhere, all overlooking narrow streets and tiled rooftops. And Signor Sposato has decorated it beautifully with antiques. He even added special touches to prepare for my visit: potpourri in every room, a basket of chocolates, and a basket of hotel-like amenities in the bathroom. I think I lucked out in the landlord department!
After unpacking and settling in, it was time to call Chip. I got through for about 20 seconds (so I know my phone works), but then it went dead. I tried to recharge it, but it appeared that my charger wasn't working. Wanting desperately to call him back, I headed out to the neighborhood in search of a phone. I never found one, but I did find an Internet café, which was better than nothing. But I've got to find a new charger!
After chatting online with Chip, I wandered the neighborhood around Piazza della Signoria, until I found a small pizza place for dinner. It was really good; of course, I think anything would have tasted good at that point! I then walked around a little more, buying a few apartment necessities along the way. One thing I noticed is that the streets of Florence are filled with student, most of whom seem to be American. Our students are going to feel right at home!
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