Florence (Firenze)

The symbol for the Medici family is a red fleur-de-lis; a flower and hence the name Florence. We met our guide bright and early Sunday morning while only the street cleaners were out and about. Later on in the day we were extremely grateful that we were able to see Florence without the throngs of people. Our guide Nicco started our tour at the Palazza Vecchio, the centre of the Medici government before they developed the Uffici and moved across the Arno River to the Pitti Palace. He showed us the copy of Michelangelo's David which is located on the spot where the real statue stood. The original is in the Academia but the copy is almost identical - same size, same shape, same marble, same spot.

We walked through the narrow streets to the Duomo and looked at the architecture of the Duomo and the baptistry. The baptistry originally had beautiful doors that were divided into 8 panels showing Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham and Isaac in brass plated with gold. In the 1960s the doors were taken off to be repaired and the powers that be (were?) decided to make copies. Again the copies are magnificent and the originals are in the Duomo museum. The church itself has decorations around the outside including the red fleur-de-lis. From there we walked to the church of Santa Croce- Holy Cross!!! We saw the Ponte Vecchio, the Uffici and more before meeting Tom for a tour of a leather factory.

We had free time for lunch and shopping. Some of us crossed the river to see where Elizabeth Barrett Browning lived and died, the Church of the Holy Spirit with it's wonderful Michelangelo crucifix and had a great lunch in a small cafe.

I almost forgot, last night we went to hear "Carmen" presented in the English Church. It was amazing how many songs the students actually knew. Perhaps that is due to the number of times cartoon shows, like Bugs Bunny, used the music. The setting was interesting: a French opera (Bizet), set in Spain, performed in an English church in an Italian city. Unfortunately the singer playing Carmen was a little long in the tooth and could have used a more flattering costume!

After our shopping spree, we returned to the hotel, dressed up and went to Santa Croce for the 6:00 mass. Even though we rushed, we arrived 5 minutes late. The mass was in Italian but we followed along easily. The front of the church was being renovated and there seemed to be little heat. On Saturday night the clocks sprang forward so maybe they turn off the heat in the spring!!

We had dinner near the Duomo and Tom (and Explorica) paid for ice cream from the most best gelateria in Florence. It was a nice ending to a long day.