Postcard Assignment: From the Top of the Duomo

From the Top of the Duomo
Firenze

Firenze is surrounded by mountains. Not like our mountains, smaller. We climbed at 5:50 p.m. There was no line to get in. The staircase went up forever and didn't let you see ahead. It wound. At the last turn, the light of the setting sun greets you, and the wind cools you down after the climb. Already I was happy and then I saw the view. The city is so substantial; now I feel like I'm really here. The angle of the sun casts a long shadow, long shadows. Only half the top of the dome gets wind; the part with sun. I sit here. The city is surrounded by forest. I wish I could hang my feet off, but there is a rail around the edge. I can hear the sounds of traffic but it's hard to see movement unless you focus. (At this point we are being kicked off the and I had to finish from another local, and I had to switch pens). The last thing I saw was the long shadow of the Duomo on the city, on the east side. Then we left with all the other tourist. We met someone from Seattle. Lots of Japanese teenagers.