Dissed at the Duomo

This morning we set out from Venice and we actually arrived in Florence without too much heartache. We only got lost once after we got off the autostrada (big road) and it was on a real road, not even a goat trail. Florence is terribly crowded but our Hotel Casci is in a great location. It is right in the oldest part of town about 2 blocks from the Duomo - a famous church. In Italy church visitors are not allowed to dress provocatively - that USUALLY means no shorts or sleeveless shirts. We decided to take a walk and had on shorts and sleeveless shirts. When we saw there was just a short line at the Duomo we decided to try to go in. You must pass by two male guards who do security and decide if you are proviocatively dressed and need to be covered with these big paper ponchos. The two young women in front of us in line were given the big paper ponches - they had on tank tops. When it was our turn, I stepped up to the guards and apologized for the sleeveless shirts - expecting to be given cover-ups for me and kelly. Well, he had the nerve to say "No Problem" and waved us through! Apparently we were not provocative enough to warrant coverups! How insulting! Ergo, Dissed at the Duomo. Luckily I was able to make myself feel a little happier by buying a Louis Vuitton purse from a street vendor for $60 Euros. He told me it was real and even showed me the label! :) Can you believe my luck? I also tell the vendors that my husband is really mean and mad. And sure enough when he finally finds me in a store or at a vendor, he shows up looking mean and mad and I think he scares them. Anyway, it seems to work for everyone. Luckily the wine continues to be really good and really cheap. We had a bottle at dinner and then went to an outdoor cafe that had music and we had a bottle of local dessert wine - so Bob was pretty easy to convince to ante up the money for the purse. Also, we saw a young woman from Russia singing on the street. she had the most beautiful voice and quite a crowd had gathered around her. We bought her CD. No doubt she doesn't have a visa to work because she had such a beautiful voice that I would have expected her to be singing someplace really special. The streets are full of young people hanging around the Duomo and there are also losts of tourists around.
Our last night in Venice (last night) was incredible. It was the opening night for a major art exhibition (the Venice Bienniale Exhibit) that occurs only every two years. Artists and critics from all over the world come to Venice and it happened that last night was the opening night. So there were parties all over the city. Apparently, anyone who was anyone was going to a gala. We took vaporettos up and down the Grand Canal and we were surrounded by really well dressed people who were on their way to parties. The women were in fantastic designer dresses - none were long gowns but they were made of silk and the most beautiful fabrics. You could just tell they were designer dresses. Along the canal you could look inside the buildings because they were lit up inside and outside after dark. Huge chandeliers hung inside some of the parties. Some rooms were lit by tall candles. Some of the palacios had door men dressed like old Venetian gentlemen or dressed like gondoliers to greet the party goers as they arrived from the canal. Candles or lanterns were along the water and the parties spilled out of the buildings on the entrances from the canal. Other party goers were zipping along the canals in water taxis (very expensive) and some were even in private boats. It was just an incredible evening - even for those of us who were just aimlessly riding on the canals. Venice has been the most fashionable place that we have ever been - even without the big art event. You can imagine how we fit right in with the artsy, well heeled crowd. But, now that I have my own real Louis Vuitton bag I can fit right in!