What do you think of when you think FIRENZE (Florence), Italy? Michaelangelo's David has been forever burned into mind. The 15 foot marble miracle is something that almost takes your breath away (unfortunately, they didn't allow cameras in the gallery). It's over 500 years old and it looks like it will stand for another 5000 years. You can see the metaphor he used in the work. The hands and feet seem huge and the meditative gaze of David, who just killed a giant, is powerful and strange. His nakedness and size is also an important metaphor. And, as Jean said as we were looking at the work, David also danced naked for God.
Florence's (Firenze's) claim to fame reads like a who's who from a college world history class. Da Vinci, inventor and painter. The Medicis, one of Europe's most ruthless ruling families. Danté, whose Inferno stabilized the Italian language and gave us metaphors we still use today. Savonarola, a Reformer a century too soon. Michaelangelo, history's greatest sculptor. Machiavelli, father of modern politicians. Galileo, who redefined the universe. Vespucci, a mapmaker who named a couple of continents. Artists, politicians, writers, explorers. The world would not be what it is today without Firenze. And you can feel that idea as you walk the streets of the city. It's a living, breathing city of art and history (gelato too).
We wish you all were here with us!! We are leaving Italy in the morning. We'll do a little bit of shopping today in Lucca and meet up with Fulvio this afternoon to go see some things off of the tourist track - Ciao!
There were several works in the Piazza della Signoria that were amazing!
Benvenuto Cellini's statue Perseus With the Head of Medusa in The Loggia dei Lanzi gallery on the edge of the Piazza della Signoria.
What do you think of when you think of Firenze? Michaelangelo's David has to be at the top of the list - that and the Firenze Duomo!
We had to get get tight to get the shot, but we did it! This is the fake David, we did see the real one in the Accademia -
A detail of the Duomo - incredible and beautiful!
The Duomo from another angle.
One of the most amazing sites in Firenze is the Duomo - the center of the city. It's amazing and the photographs do it NO justice. The detail and size it truly mind-blowing.
Poppa and Summer sharing Sumer's Ipod on the train back to Lucca.
" Merda" means shit in Italian - I've always liked stick figures.
Momma and Lucky on the train back to Lucca.
A constant reminder everywhere in Europe is that the current administration has really made it hard for Americans living (and traveling) abroad.
Florence's (Firenze's) claim to fame reads like a who's who from a college world history class. Da Vinci, inventor and painter. The Medicis, one of Europe's most ruthless ruling families. Danté, whose Inferno stabilized the Italian language and gave us metaphors we still use today. Savonarola, a Reformer a century too soon. Michaelangelo, history's greatest sculptor. Machiavelli, father of modern politicians. Galileo, who redefined the universe. Vespucci, a mapmaker who named a couple of continents. Artists, politicians, writers, explorers. The world would not be what it is today without Firenze. And you can feel that idea as you walk the streets of the city. It's a living, breathing city of art and history (gelato too).
We wish you all were here with us!! We are leaving Italy in the morning. We'll do a little bit of shopping today in Lucca and meet up with Fulvio this afternoon to go see some things off of the tourist track - Ciao!
There were several works in the Piazza della Signoria that were amazing!
Benvenuto Cellini's statue Perseus With the Head of Medusa in The Loggia dei Lanzi gallery on the edge of the Piazza della Signoria.
What do you think of when you think of Firenze? Michaelangelo's David has to be at the top of the list - that and the Firenze Duomo!
We had to get get tight to get the shot, but we did it! This is the fake David, we did see the real one in the Accademia -
A detail of the Duomo - incredible and beautiful!
The Duomo from another angle.
One of the most amazing sites in Firenze is the Duomo - the center of the city. It's amazing and the photographs do it NO justice. The detail and size it truly mind-blowing.
Poppa and Summer sharing Sumer's Ipod on the train back to Lucca.
" Merda" means shit in Italian - I've always liked stick figures.
Momma and Lucky on the train back to Lucca.
A constant reminder everywhere in Europe is that the current administration has really made it hard for Americans living (and traveling) abroad.
Starting our day in Koeln with coffee, chocolate muffins, brownies and people watching.
The Imperial Roman Baths
