Florence, Italy

FLORENCE, ITALY
Last February 27 2008, we arrived in Florence, Italy. (Yes, I'm writing this blog in July 2008, but maybe you really DO want to hear about Florence. This evening, my sister and I ate Little Azio pizza, at home in Atlanta, that reminded me of the wonderful pizza that Linell, Dai and I ate in Florence; so I'm finally finishing the blog. I hope you enjoy it.)

After a week in Paris we took a night train to Florence. There was some mix up with that part of the trip. [Linell is continuing her report on our European trip.] I advised Dai to reserve a sleeper for us, but somehow she got a couchette - or maybe it is the other way around. In any event, our sleeping quarters were not very comfortable. Six to a cabin. Our companions were 3 Korean girls who had twice as much luggage as we had and were traveling for less time. They explained that they did a lot of shopping in Paris. We were given sheets, pillow and wool blanket, so by the time we arrived in Florence, my eyes were watering and I was coughing. Allergies. I remember being allergic the last time I went to Italy. I thought (or hoped) it was the wool blanket, but I was not so lucky. I coughed and wheezed the first night in our lovely hotel. The next morning our first stop was the pharmacy where I got some pills. I could sleep, but the eye-watering never abated. For some unknown reason I am allergic to Italy, which is a shame, because it really is a great place.

The first time I went to Florence, many years ago, I rushed to the Duomo (cathedral) to look at the sculptures on the doors of the Baptistery. That was because I had studied them in my college art history class and could not wait to see them in reality. They are wonderful, still shining after 500 years, each panel on the doors portraying a Bible story. One thing I have to say about the city of Florence ; the residents and leaders know who they are. They realize that their city is a treasure of medieval and Renaissance art. They spare no expense in preserving it. In all the galleries, public squares and buildings we saw signs that announced that some art treasure had temporarily been removed for restoration. It is my understanding that their arts of preservation and restoration are the most advanced in the world.

[Linell's report stopped there; you'll see some of the art work she mentions in the photos here. We stayed in a very friendly small hotel, close to the center of town. We could catch one of the small, fast busses downtown; or we could walk a few more blocks and get large busses to anywhere in the city. Transportation was super. The only dilemma was right after our train arrived and we went outside to an empty street. After an exercise in patience, the taxis arrived and we got to our hotel. Dai and Linell took a day trip to Sienna and came back with a comparison of Florence to Sienna. Both are cities which, as mentioned above, respect their art heritage. By the way, the ice cream, galato, is great, too.]

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