Tony Bennett might have left his heart in San Francisco, but I left mine in Florence - for the 4th time. I've considered several cities home at various points in my life: Tallahassee, Orlando, Gainesville, and most recently, Savannah. But, if home is where the heart is, I think it's safe to say Florence is home too. My love is partially inherited. My dad and brother both spent time studying abroad in Florence - only 30 years apart. When I graduated from high school, a lot of friends went on the class trip to Cancun. Mom and Dad took me to Italy instead.
We visited Milan, Venice, Rome, Pisa and several small towns in between. Milan one of the fashion meccas of the world, Venice, a charming and romantic city, and Rome, a city laden with iconic landmarks, are all wonderful places in their own right. But none could quite hold a candle to Florence. Perhaps I felt that after my first trip because I thought that's how I was supposed to feel. Or better yet, perhaps the city is so wonderful you just can't help but be completely enthralled by it.
My love affair grew more intense two years later when I followed in Dad & James' footsteps and studied abroad in the summer of 2003. I had seen some of the highlights on that first trip, but six weeks allows you to really bond with a city - learn its twists and turns, discover new restaurants, and most importantly, walk around with ease acting like you've lived there your whole life.
When I took my post-grad school trip in 2008, a two and a half week jaunt concentrated in Portugal, Spain and France, I couldn't help but fly to Florence for a few days just to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything. Sure as the world, my favorite lunch spot, internet cafe, gelateria, and the store I swore I would buy my wedding dress at were all right where I'd left them.
My most recent trip, a day excursion on our pilgrimage, afforded me the opportunity of seeing one of our pilgrim's reaction to seeing David for the first time. What an awesome privilege to witness awe and amazement like that! With every journey back, you discover things have changed - as they always do. My bridal dress shop has closed; there's now a Ben & Jerry's across from the Duomo. But, the city I fell in love with, at its core, is still there. To those who say you can't go home again, I say "I'll always have Florence."
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