We'd like to introduce you to our new Italian friends..

So you know Anne and I, right? Even though we are both shy wallflowers we have managed to attract a few friends here in Florence that we thought we should pay homage to on our blog.

We already told you about Gianni and Carlo the two barely twenty year old desk clerks that are happy to help a couple of old women when we need it and rescue the college girls that are trapped in the bathroom.

At the internet joint across the street that we use to blog daily, we are always greeted with "hey, teachers...how are you today?" Anne's ability to flip her hair and bat her eyelashes got us a student discount on the internet time under the guise that we were teachers and as broke as students.

We have a favorite spot on the corner that is in route to the hotel at the end of each day. I am sure the owners name is Mario or Guiseppi or something like that but what is more important is that he is a middle aged Italian shop owner that knows how to schmooze. Every day he greets us as if we are his two favorite sisters, and a hearty "Why-a you-a nice-a ladies only buy-a my water? Why no gelato? Why no wine? You-a need-a to-a come-a back-a when you-a are-a hungry so-a you-a are-a not-a just-a my best-a water customers-a!" Then more patting on the arm and smiling...Cute.

So then there is the HILARIOUS story of Anne misplacing her items (a-lot) Any of you that know her know what this looks like. It starts with the frustration noise "eeeh" or "aaaah" and "now where did I put that...I know I just had that...." then follows the digging randomly through and around things. So yesterday Anne and I go to do laundry and she is writing in the nice red journal that Claire got her for the trip, while I went out to get stamps and toenail polish (yes..both were necessities, our feet are feeling beaten and neglected). Later we get to our room and Anne realizes she has lost it. She starts the whole drill and can't find it. So she decides to back track to the laundrymat around the corner and of course its not there. She tells the older man that works the desk with Carlo in the evening times that she has lost her red book and wonders if anyone has picked on up and turned it in. So the man, in true European form, says "Hey-a don't-a worry. We have-a lottsa red books-a here. Just-a pick one-a" as he points to their giant book shelf. Funnier in person than on the blog for sure. The good news is that the adorable cleaning lady must have found it on the floor while cleaning because it was sitting on our crisply made beds today when we came back after the Pitti Palace visit.

Oh then there is the vendor in the market area...every day we walk by the thousands of little carts of folks selling stuff, the same young guy says "Hey-a, my customer. I have-a been waiting for you-a all day.Why-a you-a make-a me wait-a all day-a?"

We have also had our encounters with a couple of true Cassanova's. Anne was propositioned by an older, portly and balding man on the floor below ours. He says to her "Hey-a, you-a from America, eh? Whataya, on vacation-a with your-a husband-a?" Of which, Anne answers "no, a colleague." So the man, without skipping a beat says to her "Well-a in-a that case, I am-a in-a room-a three-a, maybe-a you-a can come by-a later." Okay..this was funnier than the red book story. Of all the hunky Italians here, why this one??? Also a caution to the younger but not as wise girls that come here and get this request more than once.

So then today, we are walking through the market and one of the not so adorable vendors says to me "Hey-a, just in time-a. I am just about-a done-a working-a and I am free-a tonight-a!" NOT!!!

So don't worry about us, we have made lots of friends...I am sure more are to come!
(Lisa)