Easter fireworks in Florence

Let me start off by saying that if you ever get the chance to stay in Florence for Easter, do it! Granted, it’s crowded and the hotels cost more, but the celebration on Easter morning is definitely worth the extra trouble.

About 10 a.m. Sunday morning, I made my way to the Duomo (the cathedral) where the festivities take place. I thought, knowing there would be fireworks, that I had plenty of time to catch the big show. You know, fireworks happen at night. However, I was wrong and made it just in time.

Now stay with me here, because what I’m about to describe may sound off the wall and even a little dangerous, but I saw it all with my own eyes.

With the masses gathered around a giant, pagoda-like cart outside, I made my way into the Duomo where it was less crowded. At first I was a bit disappointed. I wanted to see the action taking place outside, but that would have required X-ray vision to see through the backs of a few hundred heads. I was really kicking myself for not getting there earlier. All of this was before I watched as an angel rocket on a string ? a holy guided missile if you will ? was set off and shot down the center of the cathedral and out the front doors, hitting the cart. This is how they light the fireworks! Sounds of the explosions surpassed the spectacle of the light show. And every time I thought it was over, a new round of blasts would go off. The whole thing bordered more on my idea of Armageddon ? crowds of awe struck people, things being blown up, frightened children, etc. ? than a holy celebration!

Don’t get me wrong. It was all safe ? or so I assume since no one lost an eye or any fingers ? and there were emergency crews ready at hand. Plus, Armageddon or not, it was so darn fun to watch! They should play Vegas.

Since I left the convent the Friday before, I was forced to entertain myself for a couple of days before Easter. After walking all over Florence for the 10th time and climbing the Duomo’s campanile, one of the original Stairmasters, I indulged in Italian television.

It’s OK; I was a film major. That means staying in my hotel room watching TV all day is not a waste of time. I have a framed piece of paper, at home, that will confirm this. One of my favorite shows: Italy’s version of MTV’s “Pimp My Ride.” Is it me, or would it be easier to just buy a new scooter than to reconstruct one and add a telescope and ac mini-bar? Perhaps there is something lost in the translation.

The Monday following Easter, I got on a train and left for Perugia, in Umbria. Part of why train travel in Italy is so great is that it’s so inexpensive. A two-hour ride from Florence to Perugia cost me less than eight Euros. Unfortunately, I got off at the wrong stop (Perugia has three) and ended up in a less-than-beautiful part of the city.

Since Monday was still a holiday, I had essentially gotten lost in a slightly grim-looking ghost town, and I wasn’t encouraged to stay. Luckily, I came across a woman who cheerfully walked several blocks out of her way to take me to a bus stop where I could catch a ride to the city’s beautiful center. Not to sound too Blanche DuBois here, but I am continually surprised by the kindness of strangers! This is not the first time that I have been helped like this, and I am sure that the woman and her counterparts have no idea how much I appreciated their guidance and how much that guidance has affected my experiences in Europe. I can only hope that, someday, I too will be able to help a wayward traveler.

So, how many hills is Perugia built on? All of them!

On the morning that I was to check into my hotel, I took a wrong turn, which, in Perugia, can cause you to burn hundreds of calories, and wound up walking down a very steep hill. When I thought I saw the tree-lined street leading to San Sebastiano on the hill above me, I hiked, with all my luggage, up a winding road that ended at an even longer set of stairs. Suitcase in hand, I climbed the steps and took two more turns down a narrow street only to find myself at the exact spot where I had started.

To add insult to injury, there was a sign I had failed to see earlier, pointing me in the direction of Hotel San Sebastiano! To add injury to insult, I was given a room at the top floor, the fourth, in a hotel without a lift.

Let me assure you, though, that Perugia’s amazing views are more breathtaking than its steep climbs. It rained on my first two days in the city, but even then I could see the stunning beauty in its panoramic vistas.

Though I have only booked my room at the Hotel San Sebastiano for the next four nights, I am tempted to stay a bit longer before going on to Rome. It will all depend on how much my legs can take. This is definitely a city that favors the fit.