Almost first impressions about Florence

Returning to Florence today after a break of nearly 3 weeks, i had a kind of first-sight experience. Compared with Asia, there are a number of things that struck today almost like a first impression, even after a brief absence.
In no particular order:-
* The quiet. I know that Florence is considered busy on a Sunday for many of my friends, but, this afternoon walking into town, it was really so still. There was an old man and a cat on Borgo Pinti, and the throng of the Christmas shoppers has notably passed, even in the centre. (I should note that the one place is was not quiet was Intimissimi where the Euro3 knickers led to a heated discussion between the Russian oligarch wives, and between a man and 2 middle-aged female queue-jumpers)
* The football cheers. Perhaps the reason why it was so quiet on a Sunday! Walking down the empty streets, I could, nonetheless, hear the roar of delight from the stadium and the houses where people were watching the box. Not being a fan of the game will not stop me from going to see a live match this year.
* The graffiti. It is out of control, covering reams of space with a combined history of 1000s of years. It somehow wouldn't be so awful if it was artistic, or a form of political protest for something so strong that the only way to express it is to scrawl it on a wall. But amongst the new scribbles I saw today were racial slurs, small moans, love notes (outside a school) and the equivalent of I WAS 'ERE branded on a beautiful wooden door.
* The light, Being an amateur photographer, you notice things like the light. But Italy really does have the bluest of skies, not the pale ice blue of England, or the grey blue of Asia (sometimes brown-blue, sadly, depending on the pollution. Italy's skies are a saturated traditional sky blue, with golden flecks. And the sun, even in the winter, casts a golden sheen over everything, Sunglasses are mandatory!
* The variable service culture. In Asia the service tends to be extremely good quality throughout, but professional as opposed to warm. Here in Florence, there are places where you can have a natter with a shop owner for ages, whilst they recommend you things - even in other shops! Then in the next shop you can find someone who thinks that they have done you an enormous favour just coming into the place, and certainly needn't be any help at all.
* The disproportionate level of contentment you feel when you find out that the local supermarket is open this Sunday! Supermarkets still tend to be shut on Sundays here in Florence, they open in rotation, and I thought I was seeing things when I passed a bloke in my neighbourhood with a few Esselunga purchases.
* The beauty. Florence is certainly far from a perfect place (where is perfect?) but strolling around the city this afternoon seeing the Duomo with its facade lit by the sinking sun may never cease to take my breath away.