A sneaky picture of Michelangelo's 'David'
Bonjourno! Got to Florence yesterday evening and am having an amazing time. The only thing I have resembling a complaint is the smell. Dogs do their business everywhere...streets, sidewalks...and there is no grass...so that makes it a little worse! An evening stroll was in order after the finest Italian meal I have ever had...the only one I have ever had! Until today...that shall come later. I miss you all so much, but I loved walking down the river and going over Ponte Vecchio and relaxing on a bridge. The city is beautiful at night....
...but even more beautiful during the day. After an amazing breakfast (so amazing, I confiscated a few fruits), we had TWO (it sounds so horrible!) lectures, then a visit to the Medici Chapel.
Just cool
Two lectures in Florence, Italy...that is not supposed to happen in one day!!! I can't complain though...I mean, I did go and see some of Michelangelo's best sculptures...the ones on top of the Medici tomb??? I've pictures...so just....yeah, they're online. I don't know if this city loves scaffolding or not, but I honestly couldn't tell you what the outside of the chapel looks like because it was completely covered! Ah well...Florence is still graceful. Cobblestone everywhere, precise drivers, wonderful aromas...if you're not close to a 'busy' dog...and the most amazing gelato and bruschetta anywhere!! Technically, we were free to go after the Chapel, so a group of us study-abroaders headed for the Jewish synagogue (of which I was the only non-Jew), and it was really cool.
Outnumber people 5 to 1 !
After meandering this way and that, wandering through narrow sidewalks, narrowly avoiding cars any high jumper could jump over, we made it to
Il Duomo. The premier dome in Italy. Designed by Filippo Brunelleschi in 1436, it towers above the Firenze skyline. 436 steps to the top, no lifts or escalators. Winding through the church, we finally made it to the top. And oh, was it worth the € 6 it took to get up there. I took sooooo many beautiful pictures. Nobody can paint a better landscape. Colorful rooftops and churches in the foreground, cascaded in the background by rolling hilltops and gorgeous plains. We didn't come down for 40 minutes. It was that amazing. After, a few of us went over the the Academia, the home of Michelangelo's 'David.
The Florence Cathedral
' Waiting outside in line for 45 minutes was definitely worth the stop-in-my-tracks moment I had when I first saw it. We got one picture of the thing, but that doesn't do it justice. I just felt like it was going to climb right down from the pedestal and walk away after it was tired of standing in the wonderous contrapposto stance it holds. Michelangelo was amazing. Down to the finest detail (veins in his arms and hands), that sculpture was perfect. It's on a 7 foot base, and it's 14 feet tall. You do the math...21 feet of marble!!! Ahh!!!! I didn't want to leave.
But I did....and we went and got the most amazing pizza at a little cafe next to the museum. And now here I sit, in an internet cafe with 3 and a half minutes left on this complimentary card. So I must go....but I will be back....for I love Florence and I love writing..but not nearly as much as Michelangelo liked sculpting! Ciao!
