Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

Dear The Florentine, Many readers faithfully stop in at our bookshop near the Duomo to pick up their copy of The Florentine, and say hello, and occasionally, thank you. Many, also, thankfully, buy a book or two from us.    One lovely, breezy afternoon in July, just after the

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Thu 15 Sep 2011 12:00 AM

Dear The Florentine,

Many readers faithfully stop in at our bookshop near the Duomo to pick up their copy of The Florentine, and say hello, and occasionally, thank you. Many, also, thankfully, buy a book or two from us. 

 

One lovely, breezy afternoon in July, just after the hot spell, a woman entered the bookshop and took a handful of copies of The Florentine, perhaps eight copies, and started to walk out. Our senior salesperson informed the woman that the issue was the last until September and asked her to take just one, leaving the rest for other customers. Though we are sent many copies, we often do not have enough to satisfy the demand. Our salesperson, who has been with us for many years, is known to all to be the nicest and most courteous of us here in the bookshop. We have absolutely no doubts that she spoke to the woman cordially. The woman dropped four copies, said ‘I have guests in my apartments,’ and left with four. A moment later, she came back into the shop, and dropped those, as well, and left, yelling ‘Get lost!’

 

I can only imagine that she will no longer send her guests to our shop looking for English books. But we will not tolerate those who take advantage, nor their arrogance, and will live without her patronage.

 

Some may not be aware that The Florentine lives only by the space it is able to sell for publicity, and a small subscription base, and distributes gratis to most of its readers. It, and for that matter, many other cultural initiatives, including theatre, music, and literary events, provide, practically free of charge, invaluable services, and we think that its readers should be more mindful of this, and give it their support. To those who take advantage instead of giving support, goes our reproach. 

 

Our best to all of you at The Florentine,

Emily Rosner & Maurizio Panichi

Paperback Exchange, Florence

 

 

Dear Editor,

Over 20 years ago we moved to Pratolino, and one of the main reasons was the wonderful park of the Villa Demidoff. Over the years, we have managed to see most of the park, but in recent years the area open to the public has been minimal. In the past it was possible to visit the hunting lodge at Montili, the Viale degli Zampilli with the lake and beautiful viewpoints at its end (though never the mill and waterfall near Montorsoli), the lake near the Pratolino entrance and so on.

 

This year not only is most of the park closed, but during the summer major restoration is being carried out on the statue of the Appennino. Also, in July (probably not the best month for such things) the area in front of the villa (or Paggeria) was sown with grass seed and seemed like a desert. As the park is open so few months of the year, it is a pity that these measures were carried out at the height of its very short season.

 

Sincerely,

Susan Senior Nello

 

 

Dear Editor,

Fifteen years ago I spent two brilliant weeks in Florence. Now I returned for only one day, being interested in seeing the city again. My first impression was a drastic increase of entrance fees. This is particularly sad if certain tickets can only bought as combined tickets (e.g. Boboli Gardens), which make it a lot more expensive.

 

In a cafè, we had to pay almost 30 euro for two take-away cones of ice cream. I do not remember that kind of fleecing happening to me or my friends during my previous stay. It’s a shame that the authorities do nothing to stop this.

 

But it seems to be that there are so many tourists that there’s no need to treat them well. I left Florence regretting having come back.

 

Sincerely,

Klaus Grauert

Stuttgart, Germany

 

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