When I first started going to Paris, I would leave on Saturday afternoon. After a few trips, I discovered that my weekend was cut in half. I rushed around Paris to have brunch somewhere and then headed to the airport. I wouldn’t arrive in Florence until the early evening and then I would eat and go to bed. Nowadays, I leave Paris in the evening, have dinner with my marito (husband) and wake up to my beloved city. I love flying into Florence at night when the entire city glows a light orange. Sometimes I can spot a few monuments, but most of the time I just try to grab the entire view with my eyes.
My favorite part about leaving on Friday is waking up to Florence on Saturday. I generally wake up early and rush to the window to see what my beloved city looks like with the sun inching its way up the sky. I open the window and take in a deep breath. It’s not just the sweet smell of the city, but also the feel of the air on my skin. It’s usually too early to feel the sun yet on my face, but I close my eyes and imagine feeling it.
This morning the sun was up, but there was a light haze around the city as if it was stuck in a dream. The low mountains all around seemed nonexistent. All I could see was my beloved city.
I went for a run along the Arno and only saw things that were close to me clearly. After about 200 feet, the city seemed foggy. When I reached Ponte alla Vittoria, I could barely make out the Palazzo Vecchio and the top of the Duomo. The sun was glaring on the Arno and the haze appeared even thicker.
It feels wonderful to be back home in the soft embrace of my beloved city. Paris was beautiful with its brief glimpses of spring, but Florence is starting to come back to life after the long and cold winter. I’m happy to be here and look forward to walks and runs through town and absorbing as much of Florence as I can. The more I travel away from Florence, the more I try to enjoy the moments I am here. In the end, that’s all I can do. No use dwelling in loss when I have so much to appreciate and enjoy every day no matter where I am.
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