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Report 454: Florence On My Own: Three Weeks of Studying Italian and Very Slow Travel

By Marian from New Jersey, Spring 2004

Page 12 of 21: The joys of being a solo traveler

Garden at Il Carmine

Monday 17 May: When I get to class I this morning I have a pleasant surprise: Marco remains our teacher! Bravo, Marco!

After class, I take off on my own. I am realizing that I crave this time exploring by myself. As my travel lately has been on my own, I have become accustomed to being by myself, although regularly dining alone for an extended period of time is not great. But I find that I have become so accustomed to the luxury of wandering about at will, stopping where and when I wish, that I actually prefer this. Lunch or dinner with Rosemarie (or another friend) is great, as is our nice trip to Arezzo. But I enjoy my self-propelled aimless wanderings, and surprise myself sometimes and find I actually do have an aim. Then also, I am forced to speak Italian, which I just love to do.

So today I head back towards home, and stop for lunch at Trattoria La Casalinga, just off Piazza Santo Spirito, which I have somehow not yet visited. I have a wonderful and relaxing lunch, delicious ravioli (really delicious), a salad and some nice wine. Total cost €15.30. I somehow expected it to be jammed and unpleasantly noisy, but it is not at all. Mostly locals, living or working in the area. I meander a bit more, then back to the apartment, to relax and read in the garden, with a glass of wine. This is what it's about! Then I have some supper while trying to figure out the Italian TV show "L'Eredita".

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