Destination Firenze

For those who think I am quite the traveler, I actually get quite worked up when I have to drive in a place I've never been before. Yesterday I had to get myself from La Spezia to Florence alone in order to meet up with my family. The thought of it scared me to death. And since I was driving practically through Pisa, I felt like I should stop by and see the famous tower as well. How could I justify driving through Pisa without stopping to at least take a picture?
Fortunately, I had Mo and DC to help me get the car out of the garage it was parked in La Spezia. There was about an inch space either side, and parked cars in the narrow road outside. This didn't leave much space for lengthy good-byes, and our travelling threesome was suddenly at an end as I navigated myself away through the Italian traffic.
I followed signs for Pisa, but suddenly there were no more. I stopped in a parking lot to program the GPS, which took me onto the "autoestrada". I never did see another sign for Pisa, but the GPS took me into the center where I found a parking lot. I took my token from the machine, and followed all the other people in the general direction of the tower. As I made my way through the street vendors selling tower paperweights, t-shirts, and leather goods, it began to rain. All the tourists posing with their hands held out so to look as if they were holding up the leaning tower didn't seem to mind the rain. Others were standing in line for their turn to go up. I was looking for somewhere to go inside without paying an arm and a leg. Nothing. Everything in Pisa costs money. I made way back to the car, paid for my parking and moved on.
Now I had my GPS programmed for the hotel in Florence, but it might have been good to know that Florence is called "Firenze" in Italy. So the road signs didn't help me, and I was concerned about parking. The hotel had emailed to say that they didn't have parking, as advertised, and I would need to find a paid parking lot. The parking lot turned out to be the easy part. Getting into the hotel was more difficult. It was all closed up with a phone number posted on the door. So no parking, and now I find it doesn't have a reception either! After putting all my coins in the parking meter, and sitting in the car for about half an hour, I decided I had better find a phone. I must be the only person in the world who is travelling alone without a phone.
I even tried using a payphone! Who still uses payphones? No one, because they don't work. I walked into a nearby business who said they couldn't help me. I finally found a hotel receptionist who was willing to make a call for me. And eventually the "hotel" owner arrived from a late lunch to let me into the room. I was in for another disappointment when I saw the room. It was small, with no view, and a bathroom the size of a closet (with no shower).
So I was happy to see my family again, but not so happy about the room we would be sharing.  I was happy that I had finally made it to Firenze on my own, but not so happy about my stop in Pisa. That is just how it is, you have to take the good with the bad.