Leaving a Shithole

A few days in Florence has just confirmed in my mind what a real shithole it is. Now, I know that might offend some people, but it is no reflection on the lovely people that we went to celebrate a special occasion with, including some of my favourite people. Let me explain. Getting in and out of the damned place is a nightmare, for the numbers that go through Florence the airport is small and shitty, the public transport options are virtually non-existent, and the taxis are a complete and utter ripoff. That's even before you take the taxi drivers into consideration, the one who drove us to the airport this morning was, even by Italian standards, an appalling driver who charged us a good €15 - €20 over what we would have considered a reasonable price - and this for a much shorter journey to the airport than either Edinburgh or Helsinki, both where we would have expected to pay what he charged us. Florence itself I find irritating in the extreme, far too many people chasing around, it rests on its medieval laurels far too heavily, and doesn't look like changing any time soon.

At the end of the day, although we had a great time with some fabulous people, I, personally, am glad to be back in Helsinki.