OFFICIALLY UFFIZI

We arrived in the beautiful city of Florence shortly before 2:00 pm on Thursday, May 24. A frustrating experience waiting to pick up our Firenze card, giving us three days of access to public transportation and museum admissions.

We will begin to use it Friday, so in the meantime, we bought a bus ticket and headed back into the Centro Storico. After a quick bite, we walked over to the Piazza del Duomo. Andrea was pinching herself as she stood by the famous bronze doors of the Baptistry and gazed up the cathedral. Yes Andrea, there really is a Santa Claus, and his name is Will. All those works you love teaching about exist outside of your books!

Per our plan, we ascended the 463 steps to the top of the dome of the cathedral. This was the modern world's first self-supported dome designed by Brunelleschi, and it is spectacular. The climb was a challenge to this man's twice-repaired right knee, but well worth the effort once we popped up atop the dome and took in the remarkable 360 degree view. At times, vertigo set in, especially when you see little kids running around up there so close to the belly-high railing. 

In true Willie T. fashion, my camera battery died up there, and the photos posted last night were the only ones I can share. I did use the stupid iPad to take some photos and video, but I cannot upload from it. The frescoes of the dome visible to parishioners inside the church are fascinating with their images of very scary dark demons and goblins pulling humans down into hell's brimstone fire while transcendant angels and saints lift up souls to heavenly rewards. The message to mid 15th century citizens of how to live their lives on earth was painted perfectly clear.

After our descent, we sat on the cathedral steps and plotted our plans for dinner. After strolling the quaint, extremely narrow streets of this medieval town (about 370,000 souls today) and window shopping of what continues to be a thriving mercantile society, we sat down to a very satisfying meal at Alle Mossacce, famous for its Florentine dishes.

Seating in this cramped hole in the wall is family style, and we had the pleasure of being seated next to a young Aussie couple from Sydney. I ordered the ribollita, a mushy bean soup right up my alley, and bistecca Florentina, which is basically a grilled rib eye steak. Andrea ordered a meat antipasti, which she hated, and because the Aussie couple had just been seated at our table and she didn't hear them speaking "Australian," asked in Italian if they spoke English. The woman, said "no," obviously not understanding Andrea and thinking she was being asked if she spoke Italian. After that clarification, Andrea offered her the plate of salamis and hams, which gratefully she accepted. Andrea had ravioli and a mixed salad, which she did like. 

There was a line waiting to get in the restaurant upon our exit, and we hopped on a bus back to our hotel, which is certainly within walking distance of central Florence, but just far out enough to expose us to the daily rhythms of Florentine life.

After a good night's sleep, I awoke and headed to a nearby laundromat, stopping in at a neighborhood "cremeria," a small place where the locals pop in  for their morning coffee (typically what we would call capuccino or latte) and a pastry before work.

I was back at the hotel with clean, dry clothes by 9:45, just as Andrea was finishing her morning ablutions. Because Andrea misses Russia and the harships of life in Eastern Europe, she prefers to wash her clothes by hand in the bath tub!

As always, our breakfast was sumptuous, and we enjoyed a long conversation with a couple from Ojai, California, putting us way behind our schedule.

Regardless, we used our Firenze card, hopped a C3 bus and took it all the way to the Uffizi Gallery. We entered at 1:30 pm an exited at closing at 6:50 pm. Tons of fabulous art! Andrea noted Giotto's Maddona and Child Enthroned and the Portinari altar piece. She was constantly exclaiming, "I teach this work...!" I was most impressed with Bronzoni. I had not heard of him prior to today, but now I am a fan.  Good Titians and other Venetian painters. The Botticellis were much more washed out of color than they appear in books. However, The two minis of Botticelli's Holofernes and Judith were the best.

After the Uffizi, we had dinner by the window at Il Pennello on Via del Dante Alighieri. Other than that one extraorinarily bad meal after the Vatican in Rome, our meals have been terrific. Tonight I went with the prix fixe meal: spaghetti Bolognese, veal scallopine limone, sauteed spinach, and panne cota with raspberry sauce for dessert. Andrea had a bruschetta with white beans, tomato and garlic, gnocchi for her entree, and the gelato in pastry with a thick, rich, hot chocolate sauce. We have not imbibed much wine, as we are far too exhausted from our ramblings, and wine would simply knock us over before we return to the hotel.

Sorry, but no photos to upload today, as I left the hotel without it! Tomorrow, we are committed to getting g a much earlier start, as we have a boatload to see and do before our departure Monday at noon. 

Happy Memorial Day weekend America!