DATELINE: florence, italy                                                    

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Author: Ilteris

Okay, little update on the trip before sleep. Today it took me only half kilos of clementine to recover. So that's a progress. Last night, we learned new things about this country. First, they don't serve alcohol after 2am in pubs and bars in Italy. It's illegal. Second there's a way. It's straightforward. You go to a club. On your way in you get a card from the bouncer. When you are in the club you go to the corner where a woman is standing and you give her the card. She puts a punch in the card and gives back you one little sample bottle of JB and one more additional little card. Now you take your two cards and the bottle to the bar to another person and finally get a mixed drink. If it weren't complicated enough you have to know that you have to hang on to your card because you are supposed to pay the entrance fee on your way out. Because if you lose your card you are screwed. 50 euros fine.


I have been to "social clubs" in Utah where bartender needs too unlock a cage to serve me drinks but Italian way is my new favorite.


In other news Uffizi was beautiful. It was like reading Gombrich's Story of Art only with real paintings. My highlight was Boticelli. Especially seeing transformation of his pieces as he loses faith in humanity and how this reflects in his paintings. Reminded me Nietzsche's hugging of a beaten up horse...


Tomorrow, we are hitting up the Alps.