9/29 Sunday
So,
this is the grand finale of the bike race, and we are experiencing a steady
downpour of rain and low, heavy clouds. The live TV coverage keeps losing the
signal. We can see the camera helicopters flying really, really low to stay
under the cloud cover. We can hear sirens and cheering from the avenue just a
few blocks away. The racers will cover a circuit through the city and into the
near hills, circling through about ten times. We can’t tell who is ahead at
this point, and we are really missing Phil Ligget!
We
haven’t had a rainy day since Prague. It’s a relief to have an excuse to stay
in for a while, enjoying our little Italian flat, with the windows open and the
cool breeze blowing through. Soon enough, we’ll be missing the sun as we shiver
in the drizzle of the North. We follow the racers on the TV, as the rain really
picks up and thunder booms over us. They’re looking more and more miserable in
the downpour. Froome, The Tour De France winner from Great Britain, and
Contadoro from Spain are in the mix for now, but the leader seems to be an undecided
contest. We can tell the riders are being cautious negotiating the hairpin
turns in the rain. The announcer reports that Froome has dropped out, with
about 100km left in the race. Ultimately, the Road Race World Championship goes
to Rui Costa from Portugal!
Now,
we’re hoping our corner taverna is open, because it’s still pouring rain, and
we have no groceries in the house! It is, and it’s so nice and cozy. We order
house wine and pizza, (pine nuts, parmesan and arugula) sitting at a row of
small tables. The couple next to us is from
Argentina, here on a tour. It’s their anniversary, and somehow they have a
custom to have a plate of gnocchi, and if you put money under the plate while
you eat it, you’ll have good luck and find money the next day, or something on that order
according to our somewhat mangled Spanglish conversation. So after they have
their dinners of pork chops and risotto, he orders two whole plates of gnocchi
and puts a twenty euro bill under each plate. He does remember to take the
money back when they’re done, it would be bad luck to leave it there.
1 Video Included
Florence Rainy Day
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