The boss lady in the Hostel in Assisi has a husband, and he gives me a lift to the train station. The entire trip, though not long, is one awkward silence, but I'm glad to be given a lift. I board the train and enjoy another journey through the beautiful Italian landscape. I travel north east to Firenze. In English it's Florence off course, and the first ever nurse was named after this city because she was born here: Florence Nightingale. I've always been fascinated by her biography and I'm really looking forward to seeing this city, though for other reasons than Ms Nightingale.

The boss lady also called ahead to book me a room in the centre of town, and the place is easy to find. When I go to use the public phone in the train station to let them know I'm arriving, the guy in front of me leaves enough money for me to make my call. When I arrive at the place where I'm staying, I'm given a room with four beds, because that's all they have left. I just pay for the one bed though. Free wi-fi and kitchen and everything. It seems that things are going my way, I will love Firenze for sure. Very soon I meet one of the other lodgers, Daniel from San Francisco. We immediately get along and have long chats and go to the park in the neighbourhood for a picnic lunch.

Firenze is full of museums, galleries, plazas, churches and millions of restaurants, gellatterias and cafés and not to forget the Duomo, the Cathedral. My first day in the city I just walk around, choosing whichever street seems nice. And suddenly the cathedral is towering over me. It is so big and very beautiful. I love that I didn't look for it on my map, it gives a stronger impression this way. I'm not going inside today, so I sit outside with an ice-cream, just enjoying the sun and the wonderful façade of the cathedral. I'm usually very awake to what is going on around me, but with a cold brewing and being tired from travelling I'm happy to zone out.

Then from out of nowhere peers a round face with piercing blue eyes behind round glasses. A short, stout man is talking in Italian. To me. It takes a second for me to emerge from the bubble around me and tune in to what he is saying. He thinks I'm a very beautiful tourist. He is not a tourist in Firenze, he lives here. I am just such a beautiful tourist. Would I mind if he sat down next to me on the bench? Guess not, it's not my bench anyway. He gives me his hand and introduces himself, I cannot recall his name, only that before he sits down on the bench he puts his newspaper down to sit on it. My mediocre first impression of him takes a nosedive but I try to be nice. He wants to greet me in the Italian way and plants a kiss on my cheek. Hi thinks I am very sympathico and I'm probably aware that Italian men are very emotional? Yep. It's no surprise then that he starts to cry. I am such a beautiful tourist. Will I have coffee with him? Absolutely not. He kisses my shoulder and again showers me in a stream of words and emotional gesticulation, gets up, takes his newspaper, smiles and leaves me to my melting ice-cream.

Firenze is so full of tourists that it becomes nauseating after just a short while. I will not go on about it, but you all now what it looks like and what it sounds like and how it makes you feel. The droves. The stupid umbrellas. But I will not go on about it. Off course, we all want to see the same places - sigh. In between all the culture I'm soaking up I have to take time-outs in the park or in my room. And I'm done with the ice-cream and I'm done with the coffee. I want a nice cup of tea. Actually a mug as big as a swimming pool. I treat myself to a time-out in one of the nicest and oldest cafés in Firenze. Lucky for me the waiter also thinks I'm a beautiful tourist, so he gives me the best table in the place. It tunes out the sound of Firenze, but the view from the window is great. Plenty of people watching. I get a pot of Earl Grey and the most delicious cake I've had in a long while. I take my time and savour the moment of delicious decadence. I read my book and look at all the interesting people, and the Italian ways. Of the non-tourists that is. There is an old gentleman that takes his lunch here, and he talks to the people on the tables next to him, young or old. Even if this is a slightly stiff revenue, the mood is friendly and laid back. All couples in Italy holds hands, no matter if they have just fallen in love or have been married for aeons. And they talk and laugh and drink wine.

One morning I go for another aimless walk, and after I cross the Tiber I see some great gardens and decide to escape the madness and find this place. It takes me a really, really long time but I enjoy every step of my escapade and the view of the city is fantastic, and it's like I am in the countryside at the same time as I am in the city. Apparently I'm in the richer part of Firenze, the narrow street is walled on each side, and I can only imagine what the properties looks like on the other side. I get a peak from time to time, and when a woman comes home from her shopping she opens the gate to her house as I walk past. The garden is green and coloured with flowers and the view is crazy. In the valley below I see tennis courts and olive groves. And those distinct trees that makes it so Italian.

After three days I have to find another accommodation, and I end up in Academy Hostel. I immediately feel right at home: tea time is served just after I move in. It's a fancy hostel, the best in Italy. No bunk beds and very clean and fresh interior. The best thing off course is the people I meet, and this time I end up hanging out with two Matthews from America, one from New York and one from Huston and the lovely Arabella that works in the hostel. She is great and she has parents from the UK so she speaks with a British accent and is the reason we have tea-time every day. The four of us end up going out that evening, and Arabella takes us to a place where we have apperitivo - a buffet in the pub. You pay a sum of money and get a drink and as much food you like. Apparently it's the way a lot of young people have their dinner in Italy - not too expensive and very social. We end up sitting outside, even if it's cold and a little rain. We have a hilarious time and move on to a club were we have the craziest drinks and a lot of laughs. We're all flattered because Arabella never went out with guests before.

The following days I check out the one and only David by Michelangelo and other important pieces of art and hang out at the hostel in the evenings. I really do love to see these pieces that I only ever saw in books before, they are so very beautiful and I do feel lucky to be able to be here. I feel i should write more about everything I see, but you just have to see it for yourselves and besides it would take forever.