Wander-Land

July 26
Saturday, July 25th: FIRENZE: Mission Accomplished. So we arrived in Florence Friday night after the train ride through Ecuador (no AC). To be honest, the stories that we all carry from this trip about the journeys TRAVELING to places can be more interesting than the actual destinations… Anyway, while the rest of the group (Ting-Ting, Jake, Erin, Shannon, and Zelo) went on the lovely Tuscany tour bright and early Saturday morning, I was able to sleep in until around 10:15, as I needed my rest before embarking on the sole purpose of this Italian trip (ok maybe it was tied with the 6 credits involved): my italian leather jacket.   I got dressed and headed out the door at around 11:00 am to find out that the famous leather market was mere steps away! I had to scope out the entire premises before settling on my decision.  There were sooooo many wonderful things there! But I had to concentrate on finding my lovely jacket.  There were a lot of different styles and colors and there were bags, jackets, wallets, belts, jewelry - everything.  I walked several times (literally spent all day at this market) up and down to see the different leather jackets - and i finally spotted one that I wanted to try on.  It was a dark cognac color goats skin jacket with a zipper sleeve and pocket detailing in the front.  The salesman, Aldo, brought me into the shop behind his leather stand and had me try on the interested merchandise.   I spent a good hour in there with Aldo - I tried on a few different styles, tried to figure out which size fitted me the best, and touched a bunch of different leathers.  While doing this, I came to like his personality - he seemed like a true craftsman - giving me the lowdown of the leather processes and qualities, and also giving me what seemed as honest opinions during my selection process.  In my head and even before I left home, AND with consultations with friends who have bargained for Italian leather, I told myself I wasn’t paying over 200 euro for a good leather jacket… With good bargaining and with Aldo’s keen sense of the quality of his own craft, I walked out of the market with my cognac leather jacket  for 180 euro =) I was so pleased with it that I wouldn’t help but keep looking at it and putting it on when I came back to our hotel room (bed & breakfast, hostile, whatever it was…I liked it and it was cozy: La Residence Contessina).  The most amazing purchase EVER. My first leather jacket, Italian leather, Italian quality.  I am my mother’s daughter =)

Saturday, July 25th:

FIRENZE: Mission Accomplished.

So we arrived in Florence Friday night after the train ride through Ecuador (no AC). To be honest, the stories that we all carry from this trip about the journeys TRAVELING to places can be more interesting than the actual destinations…

Anyway, while the rest of the group (Ting-Ting, Jake, Erin, Shannon, and Zelo) went on the lovely Tuscany tour bright and early Saturday morning, I was able to sleep in until around 10:15, as I needed my rest before embarking on the sole purpose of this Italian trip (ok maybe it was tied with the 6 credits involved): my italian leather jacket.  

I got dressed and headed out the door at around 11:00 am to find out that the famous leather market was mere steps away! I had to scope out the entire premises before settling on my decision.  There were sooooo many wonderful things there! But I had to concentrate on finding my lovely jacket.  There were a lot of different styles and colors and there were bags, jackets, wallets, belts, jewelry - everything.  I walked several times (literally spent all day at this market) up and down to see the different leather jackets - and i finally spotted one that I wanted to try on.  It was a dark cognac color goats skin jacket with a zipper sleeve and pocket detailing in the front.  The salesman, Aldo, brought me into the shop behind his leather stand and had me try on the interested merchandise.  

I spent a good hour in there with Aldo - I tried on a few different styles, tried to figure out which size fitted me the best, and touched a bunch of different leathers.  While doing this, I came to like his personality - he seemed like a true craftsman - giving me the lowdown of the leather processes and qualities, and also giving me what seemed as honest opinions during my selection process.  In my head and even before I left home, AND with consultations with friends who have bargained for Italian leather, I told myself I wasn’t paying over 200 euro for a good leather jacket…

With good bargaining and with Aldo’s keen sense of the quality of his own craft, I walked out of the market with my cognac leather jacket  for 180 euro =) I was so pleased with it that I wouldn’t help but keep looking at it and putting it on when I came back to our hotel room (bed & breakfast, hostile, whatever it was…I liked it and it was cozy: La Residence Contessina).  The most amazing purchase EVER. My first leather jacket, Italian leather, Italian quality.  I am my mother’s daughter =)