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Article: Striking out amid the art of Florence
- Article from:
- Chicago Sun-Times
- Article date:
- July 15, 1990
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright (null) Chicago Sun-Times. (Hide copyright information)
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FLORENCE, Italy With apologies to W. C. Fields, I was in Florence a
few weeks ago, but it was closed. Well, not totally. But enough to
irritate Americans lured to this Italian tourist mecca by its
millenium's worth of art treasures.
A handful of Florence's innumerable collections and churches
tower above the rest, and these are the spots visitors flock to the
Tuscan metropolis to see. But during a recent stay, my wife,
Virginia, and I - along with thousands of other tourists - found
ourselves repeatedly frustrated in efforts to view these
masterpieces.
When we arrived, the pensione where we had reserved rooms months
ago had sold our room to another couple. The proprietor was sorry,
but ...