(no subject)
Florence has been really nice. Its a beautiful city. I ddin't know
anything about it before I came, but now I know its famous for its art ;)
The coffee is great. I knew Italians like their coffee with sugar, and I
never have, but the coffee here is different, and it goes really well
with sugar. I had a coffee drink with irish cream shook up with ice, and
it was one of the most refreshing drinks I've ever had. The locals just
stand at the bar in the cafe, mostly, because it costs more to sit down.
The tourist have money, so they sit.
I had a kind of epiphany moment, like the first time I saw the grand
canyon, when I saw the Duomo (cathedral) in the city for the first time,
and realized how much more incredibly grand it was in real life above
pictures. Its huge and every inch of the front is incredibly detailed.
The inside of the dome is all painted (heaven and hell represent. one
devil is enthusiastically shoving a flaming spear up a naked guy's anus)
and we could go up this tiny winding staircase (463 steps) and see it up
close (the hight was really scarey and one girl had a complete panic
attack and had to go down the up stairs).
But the most stunning thing to me is the casualness of how art is
displayed here. In museums in any other city a painting by Raphael would
be in the place of honour and kept locked tight. Here today I went to a
museum which is (or was) a private collection where I saw 11 paintings
by Raphael and could have easily reached out and touched them. Statues
by Michelangelo and Donatello (and other ninja turtles) are casually
displayed in museums about the city.
Soccer has also been a highlight, because Italy beat Germany last night
and are going to the finals. The whole city went completely bonkers and
partied (which means honking the horn on your scooter) until the wee
hours. We're going to Venice tomorrow and will see the finals there.
I'll bet we will be able to find a big public square where they are
showing it.
anything about it before I came, but now I know its famous for its art ;)
The coffee is great. I knew Italians like their coffee with sugar, and I
never have, but the coffee here is different, and it goes really well
with sugar. I had a coffee drink with irish cream shook up with ice, and
it was one of the most refreshing drinks I've ever had. The locals just
stand at the bar in the cafe, mostly, because it costs more to sit down.
The tourist have money, so they sit.
I had a kind of epiphany moment, like the first time I saw the grand
canyon, when I saw the Duomo (cathedral) in the city for the first time,
and realized how much more incredibly grand it was in real life above
pictures. Its huge and every inch of the front is incredibly detailed.
The inside of the dome is all painted (heaven and hell represent. one
devil is enthusiastically shoving a flaming spear up a naked guy's anus)
and we could go up this tiny winding staircase (463 steps) and see it up
close (the hight was really scarey and one girl had a complete panic
attack and had to go down the up stairs).
But the most stunning thing to me is the casualness of how art is
displayed here. In museums in any other city a painting by Raphael would
be in the place of honour and kept locked tight. Here today I went to a
museum which is (or was) a private collection where I saw 11 paintings
by Raphael and could have easily reached out and touched them. Statues
by Michelangelo and Donatello (and other ninja turtles) are casually
displayed in museums about the city.
Soccer has also been a highlight, because Italy beat Germany last night
and are going to the finals. The whole city went completely bonkers and
partied (which means honking the horn on your scooter) until the wee
hours. We're going to Venice tomorrow and will see the finals there.
I'll bet we will be able to find a big public square where they are
showing it.