Experiencing the Best of Europe
Day 11: A View From Above
“Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe." --Anatole France
Daily Recap
*A fresh day, another chance to see the culture. That is exactly what we did. Our first view was over the city at the top of Il Duomo. The stairs were an invigorating start to the day.
*From Brunelleschi's dome, we walked to Santa Croce church. The most challenging part about visiting Florence is deciding what to see in the limited time. There is so much art and history in this city. If you love humans, you will love this city because this is where the Renaissance started.
*I broke from our little group to attempt to go to the central market before having to meet at the Uffizi. I am so glad I did. I ran into another friend that had just finished a balsamic tasting. She made friends with them and asked if I could taste the same. Let's just say that most Americans don't really know what balsamic vinegar is.
Personal Connections
*The ladies at the balsamic tasting were so kind to let me taste all of their wonderful vinegars. I love how people at markets are so proud of their products and are keen about sharing more about their products and their lives.
*Later in the afternoon we met up with the group at the Uffizi. Cindi, our local guide, was waiting for us. She is originally from Kansas, but now lives in Florence. She was a great guide because she was easy to understand and quite spunky. There is so much art to take in, and she made it all accessible for us to understand. I truly felt that I understood why art movements were the way they were. As we were walking through the Uffizi, it was like we were traveling through time. We saw how the artwork was very flat in the beginning, but became more dimensional as the Renaissance approached.
Stub Hub
Every time I visit a major city, I try to go to the highest point. Looking over a city is another great perspective. Standing in the dome made me realize what an accomplishment it must have been for Brunelleschi to create this structure.
Santa Croce is filled with famous graves. It seems every great mind I learned about in high school can be found in this church. While here, we visited the graves of: Dante, Galileo, Machiavelli, and Michelangelo.
The Uffizi is one of the most amazing art museums I have ever been to. Seeing the Botticelli's has been a dream of mine. They were even better in person.
Keeping up with postcards has not been easy. There just always seems to be so many other things to do. I tried to catch up while I was in Florence.
Best Moments
1. Climbing to the top of Il Duomo and seeing Florence from the best view: above
2. Participating in a balsamic vinegar tasting and realizing that what we have at home is crap
3. Visiting Santa Croce church to see the dead
4. Going to the Uffizi gallery and gawking at so many masterpieces
5. Taking in all of the Botticelli's and buying a poster that captures them all
6. Another evening stroll through Florence