Ouch, that hurt. Ok, I’m not dreaming.
In my imaginings, and there have many wild ones, I never did think I’d have lunch of pumpkin flowers with lobster while overlooking Florence from my R14K a night hotel after having visited the Uffizi gallery in search of Michelangelo’s David.
More than ever, and this is a biggie, I think that PR folk are not lords of the universe but rather that five-star hotel concierges are. We went to the Uffizi yesterday too, but the queues around the corner made us think again. At 08.30 this morning I (almost jokingly) asked the concierge if there was a way to skip the queue… “I have a place for you at 11.30 she said.)
David, it turns out, doesn’t live at the Uffizi after all. I’m pleased I went though as I have entirely gotten over any penis envy I might have had and, compared to those who posed for The Great Masters, I’m glowing in my endowment.
I’m now suffering from shoe envy. There is a pair of Gucci thongs, marked down to only 170 Euros that I totally desire but I just can’t afford. This morning’s cappu cost R70 and we’ve totally blown the budget on necessities like taxis. As fabulous as our luggage is, I’m sick of schlepping it around and I’m not prepared to carry (our ever heavier bags) one meter more than I have to. To Samsonite’s credit, they do well down hill. We arrived in Geneva at the height of the Knie (major festival) and couldn’t find a taxi at the station so walked to the Hotel d’Angleterre! The return taxi cost 18 Euros.
We did see Botticelli’s Birth of Venus which is beautiful and a faded Leonardo but I was as impressed by the Uffizi itself – its frescos and carved domes are staggeringly lovely. But when you’re staying in a hotel, the façade and layout of which was designed by Michelangelo in the 15 Century and it features frescos all over – including a rendition of The Last Supper by a monk, staying right here is all I’m interested in doing. Also, one thing to have a Room with a View (such as we do and intend to watch the movie tonight (all Orient Express Hotels keep a library of the Academy winners) but this hotel has a pool with a view – the highest point of the hotel with an eagles peer over the Cyprus trees down to Florence.
Am very happy that you are clearly having such a great time! Looking forward to your London visit. Ed