S'io credessi che mia risposta fosse A persona che

S'io credessi che mia risposta fosse
A persona che mai tornasse al mondo,
Questa fiamma staria senza più scosse.
Ma per ciò che giammai di questo fondo
Non tornò viva alcun, s'i'odo il vero,
Senza tema d'infamia ti rispondo.

I found myself in the flagship Santa Maria Novella pharmacy in Florence, Italy on a Saturday night a few weeks back, after wandering there purposefully/aimlessly on purpose.

I didn’t have a real camera - and I’m glad, because a decent camera in hand would have meant I knew I was going to be there, and the unexpectedness of things lends a lot to their beauty.

So this place was founded in 1221 (yes) and opened to the public in 1612.  Rumour has it they created the first eau de cologne and I won’t commit blasphemy by questioning. They also make every personal care essential you could possibly need. Find your way to the pharmacy at the back and tell them of your most intimate concerns - unlike at CVS no one that hears will care, nor make note in some digital record. Such is the magic of being a stranger in a strange land.

I just bought the gigantical bottle of my beloved rosewater, which involved the library-like experience of telling someone I wanted it, receiving a perfect white paper card, bringing the card to another desk, and thereafter the goods appeared.

Without that bottle on my NY dresser I’m sure I would have thought this was just a dream I had on the plane back from what was in fact a 48 hour business trip.

What: Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
Where: Via Delle Scala 16, Florence, Italy