Ciao Bello!

Yesterday, I was just in Florence. The day started slow because I decided to go into town with the tour. Big mistake. They took us into town late and wasted more time to show us a leather making demo (bad sales pitch). Anyhow, as soon as I could wiggle away, I jetted. Here are my adventures!

1) Piazza dell Signorio.
This is suposed to be the city center of ancient Florence, the seat of power for the di Medici family. It was really awesome because immediately, you see some very beautiful sculptures around. There's an entire fountain on the Neptune, the famous Rape of the Sabine, and Perseus holding the decapitated Medusa. Very great pieces.

Also, supercool is that I meet this old native Florentine man. He was very sweet, just asking me where I was from and telling me that he loves it in Florence. Great hospitality!

2) The Duomo
I was walking down the street, eating my gelato, and just window shopping. Anyhow, for a moment there, I stopped and looked up. I was stopped mid-lick. Ahead of me is this jinormously tall cathedral, wrought with marbles of red, green, and white. Nothing beats this awestruck moment. One thing that's cool about the Duomo is that it's very enclosed, in that it doesn't have this large square dedicated to it. There's a campanile and a octagonal building right around it. If you see the pictures, you'd think I photoshopped it all together. The colors also make it very unique because Gothic cathedrals are often gray and black, but hardly ever red and green.

I also went inside. Thankfully, the line wasn't too long, so I got in after about 20 minutes of waiting. Definitely a large enclosed space. You really feel this awe and respect when you walk inside these large cathedrals.

3) Pont Vecchio
I went to this place with the walking tour of the group. This bridge crosses the Arna River (?) Within the bridge is small shops. These shops have kept its facade for hundreds of years, so you see medieval banners all around.

4) DAVID!
It was my goal to see David, one of Michelangelo's greatest works. There are several replicas around the city, but nothing beats the real thing. The walking tour guide told me that it would take 1 to 2 hours just for the wait. That was very depressing because we left the walking tour about 1:30 and the bus picks us up at 4. Really leaves very little time for anything. Anyhow, I had given up, and decided to have a good lunch just so I can have some down time to lick my wounds. You see, I had already given up a second objective in Florence - the Uffizi gallery, which is this large museum housing the greatest collection of Renaissance art. Boticelli's Birth of Venus is found there, as well as early works from Leonardo and other TMNTs.

Even after the lunch, I was feeling like I couldn't just give up so easily. Since the David's home is not that far, I might as well make a visit and check out the line. I figured it's well worth a try. Thank god I did that! The line was only half hour. Crowd control is also excellently done. All too often, you have hordes of people around these great artwork. Here, in the galleria, you don't. David is right there and there's only about 30 people in this great hall, admiring the work.

David is an absolutely masterpiece. He's 502 years old and doesn't look a day over 18. Most impressive is the skill and detail that you see in the sculpture. The muscle tone, the veins running underneath his skill. There's softness on the surface and strength underneath. It is definitely a treat in my life have the opportunity to see the real thing at close distance.

I missed the bus because of him and had to find my way back on public transportation. Well worth it, i tell you.

4) Infiniti sculptures.
The Infiniti sculptures are unfinished sculptures of the apostles that Michelangelo started for some pope's tomb. Here, you get this great effect. You have these rough marbles, completely jagged and craggy. Then, you have these body's emerging from it. It's like looking at someone just walking out of the marble in that particular pose. There is this perfect marriage of the beauty of natural and the beauty which man can creat. You'd have to see it for yourself!

After all these adventures, went to dinner with the tour,. Got majorly ripped off with terrible food. Afterwards, went to Space disco for karaoke (did "living on a prayer") and then went for a walk because I got bored. Had tiramisu at this nice little square with jazz music playing in the background. THen had more gelato!

Overall, good night!