– Handcrafted by Heather Daveno –
The hats that resulted from my travels to Italy, shown side-by-side awith the architectural elements they were inspired by.
I wake up at 6:30 AM, but roll back and try to go back to sleep. Forty-five minutes later, a neighbor starts playing Spanish guitar in the lobby just outside my door. There are worse ways to wake up on a Sunday morning…
I head out to the Boboli Gardens, where wander for much of the rest of the day. My last trip to Florence ended here, so this is my official starting point for this trip.
It begins. Another rainy day in Seattle. Last minute chores. The 10:15 AM Metro bus which I almost miss, and the 10:45 Lightrail which whizzes past the Franz “Slice of White Bread” sign that always cracks me up. My Crossroads Tour is officially underway.
I receive a gift – an opportunity to take an extended trip abroad, to any country I choose.I had promised myself that if another opportunity ever arose, I would begin where I last ended, in Florence.
Today begins the second leg of my Crossroads Tour, as I depart Florence for the long awaited and much anticipated city of Istanbul.
I sit on the broad expanse of steps outside the train station, enjoying the sunset as the sky variegates from grey at the horizon, to rose, to robin-egg blue. Church bells filling the chilling air, and I go inside to board my train…