Beautiful Weekend／トスカーナ報告5

取材終了後、ミラノへ戻るマルコにフィレンツェまで同乗させてもらい、直径20cm近くある特大のパニーニ（完食！）で再会を誓って別れました。さて、2日間のフリータイム。フィレンツェの休日です。

日本から宿泊予約し、夕方到着したのは、中心街から少し離れたところにある、アルノ川沿いのこんなホテル。市内観光には中心街に宿を取るのがいいのは当然なのですが、なんとなく、観光するよりのんびりしたいと思ったので。窓からはこんな景色が見えます。
なかなかいい感じだ。
外壁が、空に似合うきれいな色で塗り分けられているのも好み。壁のイエローと水面の配色が、わが家のリビングの2色に似てる（現実的な連想で申し訳ない）。フィレンツェへは、無料のシャトルバスで送迎してくれるシステム。戻りの最終バスは午後7時30分発なので、宿泊客は8時にはほとんどホテルに帰ってきています（別に、タクシーで帰ってきてもいいんですけどね）。この、マイクロバスでホテルの人が迎えに来るところ、宿でごはんを食べるというところがほほえましく、一人旅の身にはほっとする感じでよかった。ちょっと日本の温泉宿的？一人で考え事をしながら夕食の前菜とパスタを食べていると、「シニョーラ、楽しんでるか？もっとワイン飲んで。これ、僕から」と、ウェイターのおじさんに白ワインをなみなみと注がれました。赤ワイン用の大きなグラスに半分近く。これ通常の3杯分？朝食の席で、とても感じのよいアメリカ人カップルに「お一人ですか？一緒のテーブルで食べない？」と声をかけていただき、最後の夜は近所のレストランでディナーを一緒に。このクランプ夫妻は、仕事の都合でアメリカとインドに分かれて住んでいて、お互いの出張のたびにいつも世界のどこかで待ち合わせをし、1週間ほどの休暇を一緒に取ってのんびり過ごすのだそう。「いつもハネムーンみたいで、これもまたいいよ」と。とにかくすごーく仲がいい。
素敵なホテルのおかげで、すっかりくつろげたフリータイム。ゲストも働く人もにこにこと穏やかに楽しそうでした。エントランスに通じるアプローチに、小さな噴水があったのですが、近づいて見てみたら、この天使までこんなにうれしそうな表情を浮かべていました。のんびり滞在したい人にはおすすめかも。興味があればこちらを！


Here I have translated the above into English as requested:

After all the work had been done, the photographer Marco took me to Florence on his returning way home in Milano. Just before reaching Florence we stopped and had huge Panini(about 20cm) and cheers for our reunion. Now my three-and-a-half-day free time, ‘Tuscan Holidays’ began! Hurray!

The hotel I stayed is located near the river Alno, 20 minutes bus ride from Central Florence. An Italian friend of mine had recommended me another hotel in the center of the city, but I felt like being relaxed rather than being busy for sightseeing.

I was so lucky because the hotel was splendid and I really loved the atmosphere and taste, interior & exterior design…and everything.

I took their shuttle bus to the city every morning and back to the hotel every evening for three days; the last return bus leaves Florence quite early on 7:30PM. As I was a sole traveler I preferred to have dinner at the restaurant of the hotel. It was nice to see the same members there at 8:00PM for three nights(they are the guests who like to come back early and to enjoy dinner feeling at home just like me). It reminded me of Japanese traditional ‘Onsen’ hotel style.

When I enjoyed my pasta dinner a friendly sommelier said ‘Signora, drink more wine, this is from me’ and poured another big glass of white wine in a big glass for red wine. I thought this was about 3 times of ordinary portion.

At the breakfast table next morning I met a lovely couple from USA. The lady, Tess, kindly invited me to their table and her husband Tracy talked to me in good Japanese. Mr and Mrs Crump often travel together all over the world, or in other words, they often meet somewhere in the world because they live separately in USA and India due to their job. This was their Tuscan Holidays after their works had been done. “Always like honeymoon,” they smiled. They are ever such sweet people and we had a lovely dinner that night.

I totally enjoyed my free time thanks to people I met during the holidays. Guests, staffs, drivers…everybody was always smiling and looked happy.

There is a small fountain in the center of the entrance approach to the hotel; I watched the statue closer and found the angel was smiling his big and happy smile as well.

Wonderfully relaxing hotel. See the website if you like!