I loved reading this. I felt right there with you on that cold bench, even though the last time I visited Florence it was a sweltering pre-COVID July, which definitely takes away some of the magic, but not all. My mom used to make tripe stewed in tomatoes, which my sister and I called "worms" when we were kids but ate quite happily. I have to admit I lost my taste for it some time ago, but your description of the panino makes me curious to try it again.