Florence - May 7

What a day! Got up early today and the weather was rainy again, so dad and I didn't get our morning walk in. Breakfast at the hotel was fabulous! We had a great buffet of fruit, roasted veggies, scrambled eggs, and an assortment of cheeses, ham, and wonderful sweet rolls.

After breakfast the group had a 1 hour art history lesson from a professor here in Florence. He was very informative and spoke to our level (not experts!). He is from the United States, and teaches for one primary university as well as several others. After our art lesson, we got on the tour bus and went to the Accademia de'll arte. The main attraction there is Michelangelo's statue of David. Words can't describe the beauty of this amazing sculpture. It's so perfect and detailed, down to the toe nails and the veins in his hands and neck. Gorgeous.

Copy of the David in the square.

From there we walked to the Duomo. This has a dome that was the first dome built without a wooden support structure by Brunelleschi. It isn't the largest dome of it's type now, but Brunelleschi figured out how to engineer this structure without additional support and paved the way of all of the other large domes on cathedrals.

Brunelleschi's Dome

Church of Maria d'el Fiori - the church of Brunelleschi's dome

Dad and I stood in the square right in front of the gates of Paradise by Ghibertti waiting for Lauren and her friend Shannon. The gates of Paradise are the gates on the Baptistry which is right across the square from the Church of Maria d'el Fiori.

The Baptistry

Gates of Paradise

Statues on top of the Gates of Paradise

This was a perfect meeting spot and we were able to catch up with our group quickly at the government center area. This was a square with many marvelous statutes including a copy of the David. Sculptures of Neptune and the rape of the Sabine women are also on display in this square.

The government center looks like the Medici palaces and is the place where power was finally transferred from the Medici's to the people. It has holes in front of some of the windows where hot oil, arrows and even feces were thrown to quell the people uprising against government decisions. Dad thinks this is a great idea.

Old Government Center

A couple of gelatos later and we found our way to the Museo National del Bargello. There were wonderful sculptures from Donettelo, Gianbologna and of course Michelangelo. Next we went to the Santa Croce cathedral where Michelangelo is buried.

Santa Croce Church

Inside Santa Croce Church

And if that wasn't enough, we then walked up many, many steps to get to the top of the Piazala del Michelangelo. An incredible panoramic view of the city!! We walked up more steps to the small church at the top of the hill. It is a Franciscan church and was plain in comparison to the ornate baroque and Renaissance churches we've been in. But it was beautiful in it's simplicity.

Dad resting at the top of the steps

Shannon and Dad at the top

Dad, Lauren and Shannon

The many steps

View at the top

Lunch was at a restaurant close to Santa Croce, wonderful pizza and I had a great ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese. Lauren had a salad. We had good food and had fun catching up with Lauren and Shannon.

Ravioli with ricotta

Lauren and her salad

We walked back to the hotel via the Ponte Vechio. Very tired jello legs! Dinner was at the Trattoria Quatro Leoni. The menu is all in Italian, so was challenging. Dad and I split the sea bass and a artichoke lasagna. Lauren had a pasta filled with cream cheese and pear - a weird but delicious combination. Shannon had the meat penne pasta. She also taught us the difference in pronunciation between penne which is pasta (pronounce the 2 n's distinctly) and pene (penis). Makes a big difference. Shannon had Tiramasu and Lauren a wonderful pear and chocolate cake for dessert - very good!

We gave the girls' money to take a cab back to their hostel. It was so great to see Lauren and she was beaming from ear to ear to be with family and having a great meal with us.

Tomorrow the Ufizzi gallery and for sure a lot more walking.

Buona Notte