Took a midday train back to Firenze after one more bike ride this morning around Lucca. The warm sun was out, skies were blue. There's a very mellow vibe in Lucca, giving it more the feeling of it being a self-contained village that works than that of a bustling city. The surrounding hills and mountains are beautiful, with snow covering the highest peaks. It's wonderful to see so many people out enjoying the day, walking, talking, riding, jogging. Lots of children and dogs too.

We arrived back in Firenze to find hordes tourists had, in just one day, invaded the city, probably eager to be out and about on the first truly magnificent day after a few really miserable looking days with not a little rain.

Rode the #13 bus up to Piazzale Michelangelo to take photos and look out over the city at sunset with (seemingly, but probably not) hundreds of others. We walked down, meandering, ending up in San Niccolo.

The annual chocolate fair in Piazza Santa Croce is ending tonight, it's been really wild out there for 4 days, just below my window.

I'm beginning to feel ambivalent about getting home; sad and somewhat horrified to have another year of this so quickly coming to an end, but also looking forward to being back to my somewhat more structured life in New York, where I sometimes feel time passing matches accomplishment, something lacking here, here more a blissful drifting with occasional, gentle rock bumps.