June 8, 2014 – Firenze!

From my journal:
We plan to see as much of this magnificent city as we can – in one day.

I guess this is the place to say this was among the biggest mistakes in our my planning: a mere evening and a day to see one of the great cities of the world. I would have easily traded a day in another city for for a second one here: Venice, Nice, even Barcelona.

Breakfast was meager and the coffees came from a machine 😦 . Thought of attending (protestant) services, but the internet was splotchy and we couldn’t find English services that suited us. We bused to San Marco: stepped into church and Mass was underway, then went next door to the Museum, in an old monastery. Paintings & frescoes by Fra Angelico. The cells of Savonarola.

Walked to Palazzo Medici-Ricardi and toured.

Florence: Palazzo Medici-Riccardi.

Florence: Courtyard, Palazzo Medici Riccardo.

Florence: Palazzo Medici-Riccardi.

Florence: Palazzo Medici-Riccardi.

Florence: “Madonna of Palazzo Medici-Riccardi,” Filippo Lippi.

Florence: Palazzo Medici-Riccardi. Ceiling fresco by Luca Giordano, 1684-6.

Florence: Palazzo Medici Riccardo.”Orpheus enchanting Cerberus,” Baccio Bandinelli.

Florence: Palazzo Medici Riccardo. Detail, “Orpheus enchanting Cerberus,” Baccio Bandinelli.

Walked to Medici Chapels – closed.

Walked to the Duomo. Long line. Giotto’s Tower – Campanile – passed. Walked around the Duomo. On the shady side:

Gelato Day 9: Very good! Ate in the shadow of the Duomo – literally. Melon (cantaloupe) and strawberry.

Florence: The Duomo.

Florence: The Duomo.

Florence: The Duomo.

Florence: Gelato at he Duomo.

Florence: The Duomo.

Bronze doors on the Baptistry.

Florence: Bronze doors of the Baptistry.

Florence: Bronze doors of the Baptistry.

Palazzo Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria.

Went to the Galleria degli Uffizi and they let us in. It was 2:00 and we were slated for 3:15. Magnificent. Botticelli, DaVinci, Lippi, Caravaggio.

Before and after, I walked the courtyard (statues of great Florentines).

Florence: Lion Not Thinking Outdoor David is that Big of a Deal, Piazza della Signoria.

Florence: Courtyard of Galleria degli Uffizi.

Florence: Galleria degli Uffizi. Botticelli, “Madonna and Cjild with six angels.” “Madonna of the Pomegranate.”

Florence: Galleria degli Uffizi. Botticelli, Madonna with Saints Mary Magdalene…” Detail.

Florence: Galleria degli Uffizi. Anonymous, “Virgin and Child with St. Anne.”

Florence: Galleria degli Uffizi. Sanseverino, “Lamentation over the Body of Christ.”

Florence: Galleria degli Uffizi. Il Francia, “Portrait of Evangelista Scappi.”

Florence: Galleria degli Uffizi. Boccaccino, “Zingarella.”

Florence: Galleria degli Uffizi. Carravaggio, “Testa di Medusa.” (Parade shield)

Florence: Galleria degli Uffizi. Carlo Dolci, “Virgin of the Annunciation.”

Florence: Courtyard of Galleria degli Uffizi.

Florence: Palazzo Vecchio.

Florence: Piazza della Signoria.

We walked the courtyard of the Palazzo Vecchio, but did not go up. Selfie on the Piazza. Crossed the Arno over Ponte Vecchio to the Palazzo Pitti, another superb museum, as well as brilliant residence from the times of the Lorraines and Napoleon. They rushed us out at the end, as it was closing time.

Florence: Along the Arno.

Florence: The apartment where Dostoevsky lived while writing “The Idiot.”

Florence: The apartment where Dostoevsky lived while writing “The Idiot.”

Florence: Palazzo Pitti.

Florence: Palazzo Pitti.

Florence: Palazzo Pitti. Closing time.

I had a problem that made walking acutely painful and got worse the more I walked. We walked back to the river, and the Ponte Santa Trinita, and there caught a bus to the Stazione. We decided the walking involved in busing the rest of the way was too much, so we took a taxi. By far the most expensive day so far. But also the best food, best gelato, and best museums! Florence did not disappoint; it’s an incredible city.