Firenze

PSST, ALLENTOWN! JUST BETWEEN YOU AND ME, I THINK FLORENCE HAS A BETTER ART SCENE. This city makes me want to drop what I'm doing and check into art school.

I am in Florence/Firenze right now. I sort of don't understand why, from language to language, proper nouns change. I can see it for a language that uses a different alphabet, but not for the good ol' 26 letters! Roma? Rome? Italia? Italy? Psh!!

We marched/trudged through the town last night in search for gelato. Apparently they invented it in Florence! It is totally the best invention ever. Aside from sanitation, maybe.

Awright! Hostels! Totally a good idea. Last night we were up 'till one (or two? three?) with other English speakers at the hostel. I am totally feeling a kindred spirit with the Australians. The speaking English part helps, of course, but also because they are a young country, too! All these old buildings fascinate me and the Europeans I talk to can't seem to understand why. Maybe Europeans go to 'MERICA and tour "historic districts" and laugh a lot?* Anyway, the aussies are totally nice and armed with those ever-charming accents that seem to blind an American girl like me and turn me into a boy-chasing drone. It makes me a terrific conversationalist (not really) and I just end up agreeing with everything male-aussie says.

*"Oh, honey, look! 1856! This building is from 1856! They are calling it 'HISTORIC' Oh, darling, let's take a photo!! This is so quaint."

**Ossie? Ozzie? Or is that last one used exclusively for the philosopher Ozzie Osbourne?

Tomorrow more tourist things in Florence and then to Rome and then home! My back and feet need a break from all this Europe nonsense. These shoes need to get thrown out. My clothes need to be washed. Alas, no! Florence, ahoy!

Pee Ess- I have heard that The Shanty was bought by Technicolor Salon? Is this true? And also that Cannons doesn't count as Cannons anymore, but that Liberty Street Tavern has got the chef and a bartender from Cannons, so it is the new hot spot. Is this also true? I need your confirmation because I am a)far away from Allentown and b)not exactly legally allowed to frequent Cannons/LibertyStreetTavern.

Oh man, I am going to wash my feet. These streets are naaaaaaaastaaaaaay.