Highlights-Florence Day 6 (last day)
I attended the Pentecost service at the Florence Cathedral (no line, no fee). It took place in a chapel on the right transept (or was it a semitransept? church architecture can be confusing when you only come to look at Jesus). Unlike the cathedral in Pisa, the main nave wasn’t roped off from the chapel so I could whip out my camera for some quick shots before the service while reverently contemplating Jesus behind the main altar. There isn’t much to photograph inside the Cathedral. The Medici spent all their money on the outside. Normally, I’m a “sit in front” guy, but I like to sit further back in Mass so I can copy what others are doing. I was raised a Methodist and have no idea what is going on with most other services. At Mass, I never know when to stand or sit. This time there were nuns to my right so I discreetly glanced at them. You can’t go wrong copying nuns, unlike the people in the pew ahead of me. They remained standing a lot longer than anyone else for some parts. At the end of the service, the priest addressed the attendees in exceptionally clear and correct English to explain Pentecost. While eating my noodles (possibly penne mostaccioli or “small mustaches”, slightly icky thinking about eating mustaches no matter what their size) Carbonara (that means “with bacon”), I heard a man asking for a free sandwich (in English). He didn’t get it. The gelato on a cone trial didn’t go well, but I’ll save the details for the “notable items” section later. I fell behind writing the daily summaries. Short version: a mess and I’m going back to the cup. I climbed the Duomo bell tower, all 414 steps (exact count depends on whether you count the last step as you reach a level). On a logistical note, I changed plans to leave Valencia a day earlier because the trains were full on 31 May and the only Ryan Air flight was expensive. That’s what delaying train reservations in the summer in Spain does for you.