两年前在翡冷翠的一天半里颇多遗憾，今次便一早下定决心无论如何要做两件事：进 Uffizi和爬 Duomo的圆顶。到达后第二天（礼拜天）一早便去打电话预约Uffizi的门票，惊闻下一张可订的票子是两星期之后！早超过了我们的归程。于是下决心周二一大早就去排队，就算耗上一天也要进了去。中午去吃饭时路过Piazza della Signoria，只见Uffizi门口的长队一直排到河边的路口。。。
另一处需要排长队，可以提前订票的是Accademia，看大卫的人也多。不过票倒不难订。
周二一早，提前两个钟头便出门（Uffizi八点十五分开门），意外收获是发现早晨是最好的旅游时间。没有哇啦哇啦的导游，不必被人挤得东倒西歪，无队可排，在空旷的小巷里听脚步落在石板路上的声音（其实是我的拐杖落在路上的嗒嗒声），被扫街的垃圾车追了一条街又一条街，偶尔同早起的当地人擦肩而过，让我想起在上海是一早开张的早点铺子和大平底锅里冒出来的生煎馒头的香气（可惜当地店开门晚，连咖啡也买不到）。 Uffizi是个U型的房子，中间的院子里只有几个无所事事的帅哥警察在嘻嘻哈哈地聊天。Arno河上的各桥都在晨光里翊翊发光，几个抗着三角架的业余摄影家在严肃地取景，我也终于可以卡查卡查地拍广场上的雕像而不必担心攒动的人头了。
最惊喜的是，六点四十五分，我们是Uffizi门口第二组等票的人，我们前面只有三个年轻人，也是美国来的，实际上排队的前二三十个人几乎全是美国游客，占了时差的上风，精神抖擞地一早跑来等。七点一过，队伍开始加长，到七点半已经有三四五十个人了。八点左右，订了票的人也开始在另一个入口排队，加上两三窝旅游团，多数是日本人，在门口聚成几团黑压压的脑袋。门口一个电子告示牌，说是预订票可订两天后的。我想了半天才明白他们的系统：原来门票有三条途径，各有限额：电话预约，在票房预约，在门口等当天的票。在门口等票最不肯定，因为他们是控制人数的，出一个人，放一个人进来，馆内人数同时不超过一定数量。所以一早到可以立刻进门，但来得越晚，等得越久。
我们顺利进门，租了解说录音，从一头走到另一头。看了一半，再次感慨Rick Steves的误导。他说Uffizi地方不大，两个钟头便可解决。纯属胡说八道。我们八点十五进门，十一点半出门，还是因为精疲力尽，脑眼饱和，最后的几间展览根本没仔细看，Rubens, Carravagio, Artemesia都没看进去.
几天后，事先安排的计划都实行得七七八八，比萨斜塔，Siena的广场，几个大卫像，都看过了，同行之一忽然说：我有个疯狂的主意－－我和另一个问：什么主意？她说：我想再去一次Uffizi。我说：这太正常了，我也这么想呢，好，我们明天一起去。第三个人说：切，这两位都脑子进水了。你们去，我自己去爬钟楼。结果，第二次在Uffizi，我们就卷入了一场吵架战。
周日一早六点四十五到门口，我们是第一个。后面排的是一个德洲来的韩裔女孩子，二十出头而已，会计硕士生刚毕业，在英国呆了半年foreign study，打算上班之前在欧洲转转，游荡两个月。再后面是俩西雅图来的中年女，刚玩过Chianti Bike Tour, 据说是每天喝得半醉上路。再后面也是一群美国人。。。到了八点左右，忽然来了几个似乎并不相干的人，在我们面前逗留不走。我，同伴，和韩裔女生都怀疑他们要插队，于是不请自来地劝告他们：预先订了票的，请到前面的队去排；这里是等票的，要排到后面。一对法国／地中海模样的男女，女的似乎不会说英文，男的支吾敷衍了几句，又逗留了几分钟，在我们的灼灼目光下终于不好意思走掉了。另一个老太太，用法语嘟囔了什么，还是不动地方。另有两个介于中青年之间的女人，一个白人一个亚裔，一言不发，也看不出是不是一起的，何方人士，也逗留不走，就在长队之首晃悠。
到了八点二十五分，大门还没开，大家都有点着急。也许这就是著名的意大利懒散风格？到目前为止我们还没见过太多，汽车火车都大多按时正点，并没有被人涮过。我们又说了几句排队请往后的话，这三个人仍然充耳不闻。站在我们后面的美国游客与＂世界警察＂的名声背道而驰，屁也没放一个。
两个工作人员也不急着放人，立刻询问来龙去脉：＂谁没排队？＂我们一致指着拿三个人说：她，她，她。后面的美国人似乎胆儿也壮了起来，吵吵着说：＂我们放你先进去没关系，对后面排了这么久的人可不公平。＂（靠，当然有关系，我可不让你插在我前面！）一时群情激愤。工作人员说了两句什么，法国老太太赶紧走掉了。或许她是不懂英文，而排在前面的人全是讲英文的。另外的两个女人忽然冒出两句：＂我们以为这里是队尾呢，也没人告诉我们该往哪里站。＂字正腔圆，我们齐昏倒。工作人员毫不通融地请她们走开，确定没有其他非法夹塞儿的人，然后才放人进去。
就这样，我们在十分风雅的地方，做了件十分不风雅的事：跟人吵架。两个外表斯文的淑女被我们这些群众踢出了无非字艺术馆的排队。故事的教训是：不要尝试在Uffizi插队就这样，我们在十分风雅的地方，做了件十分不风雅的事：跟人吵架。两个外表斯文的淑女被我们这些群众踢出了无非字艺术馆的排队。故事的教训是：不要尝试在Uffizi插队，不要低估暴民的力量。
We both thought it would have taken us at most 1.5 hours to finish up the unfinished stuff in the museum, but came out 2.5 hours later, again tired and sore in the foot and in the head!
长篇版翡冷翠游记之三：无非字之战
你说这些人上哪儿插队不好，非上这么风雅的场所，嘻嘻。意大利的工作人员管别人倒很讲秩序呀，和他们在路上开车的风格有异You know, I heard so many horror stories about how disorderly Italians are, but did not really see it myself. THe train to Pisa was slightly late, but that was it. Most everything was ontime and well managed, even if not glamorous. People do have a laid-back attitude, but they are also helpful, sweet, and they do get things done. The museum workers at Uffizi were polite but firm and treated people with respect. The only rude treatment we received was at Bargello's ticket office (the woman at the gift shop was fine). Maybe because Bargello was a national government museum. Otherwise most people we encountered were very good-natured.
My friend said something that I thought was very true. She said, it's gotta be hard to be working at these museums and shops -- You're bombarded with these tourists every day. They don't speak your language, they don't know your customs, they're in a hurry, and they demand this and demand that and often don't even say thank you. Sometimes they even gasp, "Why don't you speak English?" I'd be rude too if I were just a clerk at a ticket office.
My friend said something that I thought was very true. She said, it's gotta be hard to be working at these museums and shops -- You're bombarded with these tourists every day. They don't speak your language, they don't know your customs, they're in a hurry, and they demand this and demand that and often don't even say thank you. Sometimes they even gasp, "Why don't you speak English?" I'd be rude too if I were just a clerk at a ticket office.
Uffizi is a bit better than the Luvre, I think. The Luvre is like a ... farmer's market on Saturday. It is SO crowded. Really not the best mood to enjoy the works. Uffizi also has herds and herds of Japanese tours with a guide blabbering in front of Birth of Venus and Spring. The best "mood" I've seen is in Borghese in Rome. Very quiet and controlled. You MUST have reservation so there is no line at the door. The drawback is they kick you out after 2 hours. Not enough time, really.
they kick you out after 2 hours
Gee, you have bo be fast on your feet, if not so on your brain
I went to Luvre twice, both after rush hour, after 5 or 6PM, the tickets are discounted too but the plus side is that it's not so crowded though you still see herds and herds of Asian tourists in front of Mona Lisa
Gee, you have bo be fast on your feet, if not so on your brain
I went to Luvre twice, both after rush hour, after 5 or 6PM, the tickets are discounted too but the plus side is that it's not so crowded though you still see herds and herds of Asian tourists in front of Mona Lisa
脚翘黄天宝
光吃红国宝
光吃红国宝
I lost 200Euros in Brussels.
