I watched a tour group from Arizona (clearly identifiable by their neck badges) approach the white figure of Michelangelo’s David, towering on a pedestal in front of City Hall. A small herd of Segways rolled past, one rider singing fake opera at the top of his lungs. They clicked selfies in front of the statues. They surged into the square, pooling and drifting. When the crowds began to arrive - tour groups from Japan, China, Germany, Spain - they seemed less like people than like weather. A vendor unpacked tarp-wrapped souvenirs from the back of his white van. A Zamboni-like street cleaner drove its rounds, leaving wet circles on the paving stones. Last summer, early in the morning, I stood out in the main square of Florence to watch the tourists come in. To hear more audio stories from publishers like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.
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