1) The public water fountains scattered across the city are amazing, life-saving, and should be installed in every other European metropolis.
2) Entering old churches and basilicas for free makes the experience more valuable, more sacred, and less touristy/commercial than if we paid.
3) The Vatican Museum administrators are awful, mentally deficient, and--in all likelihood--ugly people.
4) A lucid argument could be made that "ambrosia" is the Greek translation for "gelato," because the gods certainly would've enjoyed this stuff.
Laundry got done first thing in the morning, so we were able to eat one last good breakfast at the Daphne Inn before packing and checking out.
We retraced our metro route to Termini Station, where we were faced with deciphering the signs and marquees for Trenitalia. Most of our confusion was owed to the fact that we arrived so early (I thought it'd be wise, arriving early, like you would for a flight) that our train hadn't even been posted yet, so we scrambled to locate it.
The countryside en route from Rome was really beautiful. Almost immediately outside city limits, we saw vast sunflower fields. Neither of us had ever seen so many sunflowers. I was reminded of my father, because he always loved the big, bright blooms. Seeing such expansive fields of the flower made me feel like he was checking in on us. I don't know.
Up until today, we'd had nearly perfect weather; no more than a passing sprinkle in Greece, and clear skies in Rome. However, we arrived in Florence at the height of an afternoon thunderstorm. We waited at the terminal several minutes until the rain let up enough for us to walk the five blocks to our lodging.
Our last-minute Florence planning paid off, because we got a sweet deal on a B&B called Soggiorno Rondinelli: king bed, AC, wi-fi, breakfast, located two minutes away from the Duomo--all that at only 90€/night. Everything else we were looking at charged more for less amenities.
We unloaded and set out for lunch and exploration. Finding the Arno River, we crossed the nearest bridge(Ponte San Trinità) to look across at the famous Ponte Vecchio. It was still sprinkling, and the skies threatened more storms, but the bridge, river, and waterfront area looked lovely.
On the western bank of the river, we walked toward the central area, found a café that sold us some ham and cheese quiche for lunch, then we crossed back over the Ponte Vecchio.
As we ate, we moseyed along the river a short ways to hunt out the Uffizi Gallery, where we had tickets reserved for tomorrow. The museum is shaped like a "U" with a narrow cobblestone plaza lined with statues of important Florentine figures: Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Macchiaveli, Dante, etc.
Above: Florence's Favorite Bad Boy, Dante Alighieri
Proceeding out of the Uffizi's plaza, we found ourselves in the midst of amazing sculpture. This was the Loggia dei Lanzi, basically an outdoor gallery of beautiful sculptures and reproductions of famous works. It was situated between and across from the Uffizi and the Palazzo Vecchio.
There was a wonderful reproduction of Perseus holding the head of Medusa, a sculpture of Menelaus with the slain Patroclus, and a depiction of Heracles battling a centaur, among other impressive works.
However, our eyes could not help but be drawn to the statue outside the entrance to the Palazzo Vecchio, because it was none other than Michelangelo's David--and by that, I mean a reproduction of the original.
We admired this copy of David, placed in the location where the original once stood. The statue's height was immense, and we knew the original was carved from one piece of marble, making its size even more remarkable for such a feat.
"Huge noggin'! It's like an orange on a toothpick!"
After a brief discussion about the effectiveness of Michelangelo's disproportionate sculpting(David's head and right hand are larger than the rest of his anatomy appears), we decided to check out the Palazzo Vecchio.
Above: It looks just like the front entrance to our house!
This palace--used primarily as a town hall and museum nowadays--was huge and impressive, with large, frescoed rooms, impressive sculptures, and beautifully ornate ceiling work. The first room we entered after validating our tickets was the tremendous Salone di Cinquecento, lined with sculptures, and walls adorned with huge frescoes.
Among the many works to gawk at, we found a notable sculpture by Michelangelo known as the "Genius of Victory."
We won't take you through room-by-room, but the entire palace was an example of artistry. There were works by Botticelli and Raphael, as well as a sculpture by Donatello known as "Judith and Holofernes."
Above: Photo taken moments before my camera battery died.
Upon leaving the Palazzo, we walked north through the Piazza della Signoria, along the Via dei Calzaiuoli, and into the Piazza del Duomo--where we were floored.
Annie and I both knew OF the Duomo, and knew ABOUT its reputation as an attractive work of architecture. But nothing prepares you for the sight that meets your eyes when you round the last corner to enter the piazza and gaze upward at the cathedral's sheer majesty.
We gawked. The cathedral of Santa Maria Del Fiore was a marvel, with its wonderful colors and ornate decor, the tremendous dome and tall campanile, and the nearby Battistero(Baptistry) all rising up from the monochromatic buildings around the piazza.
I have no idea how long we just shuffled around the piazza staring at the cathedral from various angles. We'd never seen one like it, and simultaneously applauded the craftsmanship of 13th-15th century italians while mourning the uninspired, indifferent pursuits of man today.
Though hungry, we still hadn't had our fill of the basilica, so we ate nearby to gaze longer on the edifice. The gilded crucifix atop the Duomo shone brightly in the late afternoon sun, and we watched the bells toll 7pm as we ate our pasta.
We chalked this first impression of Florence into the "Great" column, and we walked the three blocks home to shower off our travel grime and plan out our first full day.
Florence July 1 Album:
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| Rome to Florence: July 1, 2011 |
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Rome to Florence, Italy
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