Have had so many days of running around, I was hoping to come back for a relaxing last few days in Firenze - but of course it wasn't to be. I fly out from Pisa Saturday morning for Germany, and so I've been packing up my room - a task I DON'T want to leave to the last minute, because there's an awful lot of stuff to pack up and a fair bit to send home. I went to the Post Office after class today and was successful in sending one item, but they rejected the packaging job I'd done on the second item. I'd read in Lonely Planet that Poste Italia could be a little picky! Anyway, they sent me away with this second box to try again! Just had a milkshake to give me strength to go on with it all this afternoon.

Wimbledon. Lleyton Hewitt lost? In the first round? I'm having a little trouble getting tennis news, as the Italian media is not terribly interested in the sport. Any and all updates would be greatly appreciated. Anyone paying close attention, please feel free to send messages regarding the progress of ARNAUD CLEMENT. If he lost in the first round too, and I just don't know it yet, I'll cry.

I went to Roma last weekend. Unfortunately, because I had to spend my time there organising my visa for Vietnam, and because the Vietnamese embassy was a long way from everything else (or it seemed that way in the heat) I didn't get to see as much as I would have liked. I should be honest and say that another contributing factor to my not being the most active tourist was the fact that the new Harry Potter was released on Saturday. I went to the Vatican on Saturday morning - found it astounding, but couldn't spend too much time in the Sistine Chapel because the crowds were so oppressive, but fell in love with the map rooms and the Egyptian collections - and after I left the Vaticano and San Pietro I went to Roma's Feltrinelli International and bought H. Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I spent two hours sitting in front of the Trevi Fountain reading. Then I spent some time in front of the Forum and the Colosseum reading. Then on Sunday morning I caught a train to Napoli, and two more hours flew by while I was reading. I took a break from Harry to climb Mt. Vesuvius and visit Herculaneum (I can't quite imagine how large Mt Vesuvius must have been before: it still dominates the skyline so much. Hard to picture it twice as large, or larger...). Finished the new Harry at Stazione Napoli Centrale waiting for the train back to Roma. Had to read my introduction to Fascism on the train home instead. At least I threw a coin in the Trevi Fountain, so I know I'll come back to Roma and see all the things I missed.

I know I'm not allowed to say anything about Harry Potter, but please feel free to email me if you've finished it too. I'm dying to talk about it! I've been developing theories for the last two books!

Yesterday was a public holiday in Firenze, the holiday for San Giovanni, the most important saint in Firenze. Last night at 9:30 we gathered along the Arno and watched a wonderful fireworks display. Made me want to learn more about the history of fireworks. I think designing fireworks would be a wonderful job.

I finished reading Peggy Guggenheim's autobiography too, as well as Harry Potter, and am now immersed in Greek Lyric poetry. I fell in love with Stesichorus, and am just beginning the work of Simonides. I have a feeling I'm going to grow addicted to classics over the next few months as well. Peggy stopped writing so much about her lovelife after she moved to Venezia, and wrote much more about art - very interesting, but of course very subjective. I've read a bit about her initial reaction to Pollock (she was unimpressed) and how it took the advice of art critics to support his work. In hindsight of course she always recognised he was a genius - though it doesn't quite explain why she gave away 18 paintings by Pollock that came to be worth so much. I'm interested in reading a bit more about some of her other main artists, to see if, from the other side, she was always as instrumental as she says... But maybe I'm just jealous that she owned a beautiful Brancusi Bird in Space.

The days are much too hot here. 40 degrees isn't unusual, and there's no sea breeze for relief. I'll be glad to head north where there'll be at least a little respite from the heat.

Only three more days in Firenze, and I won't have seen everything - though it will give me more reason to return...

Firenze