Florence - Friday, May 28, 2010, part II
Have I flooded your livejournal page yet? My laptop clock tells me it's after 9pm and I have a big day visiting Pisa and Lucca tomorrow. Going through the rest of the week should be a short exercise.
Tuesday 5/25/10 - This morning I shadow an introduction to art class. We spend three hours wandering around Florence while the instructor points out major sights and discusses the nuances of art and architecture. We stroll across the Arno River and finish the trip with a rigorous walk up a steep hill to lookout. Bearing the sweat and heat was worth it, the view of the city and the surrounding hilltops is delightful. The river below gingerly slices the city in two. I snap pictures and attempt to absorb it all with my mind's eye. Here I am in Florence enjoying the skyline, my only concern is whether to grab a gelato or not before I walk home.
Wednesday 5/26/10 - The morning is consumed by a class trip to a shipping company. We hear from company managers about various rules and regulations related to their industry. After the lecture we visit a warehouse. Coincidentally, many of the piled boxes contain good of high fashion -- Jimmy Choo and Gucci to name a few. The female students find this part of the course most worthwhile. The male students find some semi-nude pin ups that capture their interest. In between the boxes and distractions, I do my best to slip in learning moments.
In the evening, I climb to the top of Florence's Duomo. The 463-step climb is an adventure in itself. And the top of the dome offers startling views. This is best described in pictures, and will post those when I get my laptop back in order.
Thursday 5/27/10 - The highlight of this day is a trip to the Duomo's art museum, where our professor describes sculptures that are connected in some way to Florence's beautiful cathedral. The highlight is Michaelangelo's Pieta, a sculpture of the newly-dead Christ which was to be used to mark Michaelangelo's own tomb. Imagine carving a monunment for where you would be laid to rest. Imagine completing a major work like this in old age. Pictures to follow.
Friday 5/28/10 - A trip to Siena and San Gimignano. I'm running out of steam and will return to this later. Bottom line - Siena is gorgeous, and pound for pound just as pretty as Florence, maybe more so. San Gimignano is a quaint village. It's pretty and ... that's about it.
Tuesday 5/25/10 - This morning I shadow an introduction to art class. We spend three hours wandering around Florence while the instructor points out major sights and discusses the nuances of art and architecture. We stroll across the Arno River and finish the trip with a rigorous walk up a steep hill to lookout. Bearing the sweat and heat was worth it, the view of the city and the surrounding hilltops is delightful. The river below gingerly slices the city in two. I snap pictures and attempt to absorb it all with my mind's eye. Here I am in Florence enjoying the skyline, my only concern is whether to grab a gelato or not before I walk home.
Wednesday 5/26/10 - The morning is consumed by a class trip to a shipping company. We hear from company managers about various rules and regulations related to their industry. After the lecture we visit a warehouse. Coincidentally, many of the piled boxes contain good of high fashion -- Jimmy Choo and Gucci to name a few. The female students find this part of the course most worthwhile. The male students find some semi-nude pin ups that capture their interest. In between the boxes and distractions, I do my best to slip in learning moments.
In the evening, I climb to the top of Florence's Duomo. The 463-step climb is an adventure in itself. And the top of the dome offers startling views. This is best described in pictures, and will post those when I get my laptop back in order.
Thursday 5/27/10 - The highlight of this day is a trip to the Duomo's art museum, where our professor describes sculptures that are connected in some way to Florence's beautiful cathedral. The highlight is Michaelangelo's Pieta, a sculpture of the newly-dead Christ which was to be used to mark Michaelangelo's own tomb. Imagine carving a monunment for where you would be laid to rest. Imagine completing a major work like this in old age. Pictures to follow.
Friday 5/28/10 - A trip to Siena and San Gimignano. I'm running out of steam and will return to this later. Bottom line - Siena is gorgeous, and pound for pound just as pretty as Florence, maybe more so. San Gimignano is a quaint village. It's pretty and ... that's about it.