After yesterday's tour and exertions I slept a little (very little) later than usual. By the time I got to breakfast the gannets had come and gone and the Maitre d was flat out resetting tables for the later comers. As I left the hotel for my morning promenade I asked the reception to get me the bank account details that I would need to do a direct bank transfer for my accommodation. I thought that would be easier than doing multiple credit card transactions to get around the daily limit on the card. I don't want to raise the limit as it gives me a level of risk control.
I had decided to head to the Tuscany Bike Tours office as they offer a one day tour which I want to do on Sat 24th. Found the office but hey we're busy getting the day's tour organised and asked e to book on the web. After that I took a different path westwards trough the city, eventually arriving at the railway station, from where I threaded my way back through the streets to the hotel. There seemed to be some sort of fun run on as there were,a lot of people dressed for running and wearing numbers. Consequently whenever I saw groups of them I modified my route to avoid the crowds.
At the hotel the bank details for the hotel being available I arranged a direct transfer for most of the account. I'll settle the rest by credit card when I check out.
After that I decided to go out, find a panino, and go somewhere pleasant to eat it. There is a little garden park just west of the Ponte alle Grazie which has some nice shady trees so I found a bench there and ate my panino while enjoying the fresh air and looking north over the river across the city. Afterwards I decided to walk up to the Forte di Belvedere which is on a highish hill overlooking the city. I didn't go into the Forte and it seems I might have toured the Giardino di Borboli which are attached to it without paying a fee. There was a ticket office at the gate but I didn't bother reading the notice in full as I wasn't intending to go into the Forte so I just slipped past someone else who was getting tickets and enjoyed a pleasant stroll through the gardens and sat in the shade and fresh air for a while. When I was leaving the gardens via a different gate I saw that there was a ticket office on the gate to the actual gardens which is what made me think that I had cheated the system inadvertently.
Back at the hotel now relaxing while watching the days stage of the Giro d'Italia with Cadel Evans in the Pink Jersey but will he still have it after the stage today?
