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The express train from Rome to Florence pulled out right on time and we sped north to Florence. Views out the window were of lush green fields with the hill towns of Tuscany in the background. After a short walk to the Hotel Nuova Italia, we deposited our bags and had lunch in the local market. After lunch, the students had time to look at a real farmers' market — a first for many. They found things in the meat counter that you do not find in the Harris Teeter...
Next we headed out on a walkabout into the heart of Renaissance Italy. On our walking tour, we paused at Santa Croce to see tombs of such well known figures as Galileo, Michelangelo, Rossini, and Machiavelli. After a gelato break at Vivolis, we crossed the Arno at the Ponte Vecchio on our way to the Branccaci Chapel. The frescos of Massacio are a good lesson in the development of perspective that was rediscovered by the Florentine artist Brunelleschi.
Day two was museum day big time! First stop, the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. The statuary of Donatello which used to grace the niches of the Duomo (the Cathedral in Florence) are now protected here and you can see them from three feet rather than looking twenty or thirty feet in the air. These, along with Donatello's moving Mary Magdelene, Michelangelo's Pietà with Nicodemus, and the original bronze panels of the Baptistry doors made this a favorite among the students. On the way to our appointment at the Accademia we made a stop in the Baptistry to see that wonderful ceiling mosaic of The Last Judgement. Entering the Accademia, there it is — the David! All were amazed at the size of Michelangelo's masterpiece that represents so much about the Renaissance. Everyone agrees that this is a highlight that never disappoints.
Our museum day continued in the afternoon with a trip to the Uffizi. Eyes grew wide as they entered the first gallery with the two huge Madonna and Child paintings by Cimabue and Giotto. This is followed by one masterpiece after another. Bottcelli takes center stage in one room with his Birth of Venus and Primavera. We had an unexpected treat of a special exhibit on "The Mind of da Vinci."
Today is our last day in Italy. We visited the Bargello this morning and took the afternoon to catch our breath, do some laundry and squeeze in that last visit to the leather stalls. Tomorrow, France. What a trip!
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The Ponte Vecchio on the river Arno |
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