29 January, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Now now, there’s no time for tears…
I had an internet connection while I was in Florence, so I posted a couple things while I was there. But I have a bit more to say. I know, shocking. I want to tell you about a few of my favorite Florentine things…raindrops on roses, marble gods, jewelry.
My Favorite Rear View: Il David
One of my New Year’s resolutions is to feature more male nudity on this blog. To that end, I managed to semi-salvage the photo of David’s glorious tush that I mentioned a while ago:
This is the best I could do. When I took this, I was chatting with an American woman who just kept looking at the sculpture and saying, “He is so hot.” Is it normal to be turned on by a statue? Don’t get me wrong – I love staring at the rear end of a 17-foot man as much as the next gal, but lust? It just seems…wrong.
My Favorite Kitsch: The Hotel Lobby
Do the owners realize how tacky this is? Obviously not. I stayed at the Hotel California – and yes, that song was in my head every time I walked through the door. It’s a fabulous budget hotel located in the center of Florence, right between the Duomo and the Accademia (David). And there’s a free continental breakfast (just called “breakfast” on the Continent?). They give you a plate heaped with croissants and pastries. They just plop it down on the table right in front of you, as if this is some sort of normal breakfast eaten by normal humans on a daily basis.
Heavenly.
My Favorite Souvenir: Cameos
I didn’t really buy much on my trip to Italy. When I was younger I’d buy all sorts of junk, drag it home and watch it collect dust. Then I’d sell it a garage sale, thus helping myself finance another trip to Europe when I’d buy more junk…and the cycle would continue. Thank goodness I don’t do that anymore. But I did want to buy one nice thing on my trip and I knew what it would be.
I have always loved cameos. I had never owned a real one before. Cameos are Italian creations and you see them for sale everywhere, but particularly in Florence. There are necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings. I bought a pair of cameo earrings, set in 18k gold. Real seashell cameos made in Naples! I was so excited. I went into a tiny jewelry store and a very patient man helped me look at every cameo he had. I had to examine the faces quite carefully. Since cameos are handmade, the faces can vary quite a bit. And well, I can be very picky about such things. But I found a pair that I love and will always treasure. Here’s a photo of them in their little cotton bed:
Florence is filled with high-end shops and stores selling all sorts of leather goods. It’s a very fashion-conscious place. I’m not very interested in fashion, but I wanted to buy this dress:
I could wear it while doing the dishes.
My Favorite Place in Florence: The Bardini Gardens (Giardino Bardini)
These gardens just re-opened after a complete renovation. I bought my ticket to the Pitti Palace and paid to visit the Boboli and Bardini Gardens as well. And truth be told, I skipped the Pitti Palace (gasp!) and just hung out in the gardens. The Boboli Gardens are lovely. It’s quite a hike from the palace up to the top of the gardens, but there are stunning views of Florence (not the Duomo side) and the Tuscan countryside:
There are lots of hidden corners and paths to explore:
To get to the Bardini Gardens, you must leave the Boboli and walk through a residential area. There were very few people in the Bardini – I imagine most people got lost and gave up. The Bardini Gardens aren’t vast; they are set on the side of a steep hill. If you start at the top (starting at the bottom would be a bad idea), you are treated to a magnificent view of the Duomo and Florence in all its picture-postcard glory:
In December, I didn’t see any hint of a flower and the greenery wasn’t as bright as it’d be in the spring and summer. But gardens in winter have their own charms. There were arbors with barren vines that looked like spider webs:
I walked along the paths in the stillness, listening to my feet on the gravel paths, watching my breath escape my mouth in frosty plumes. Looking up I’d see the burnt orange skyline amongst a startlingly blue December sky. It was serene and I had it mostly to myself. These were my favorite moments in Florence.
My Favorite Church: Santa Croce
This vast 14th-century Franciscan church holds the tombs of great Florentines, including Michelangelo, Galileo (whose bones were hauled in after his death, when he’d been absolved of his scientific sins), Dante and even Machiavelli. I bought a book on Michelangelo when I was traveling – if you’re doing the tourist thing in Italy, it’s impossible not to become fascinated by this man who shaped so much of Western art, who was a painter and a sculptor and an architect. Italy wouldn’t be Italy without him. His work has touched me in so many ways; I have more to say about this in an upcoming post. I couldn’t leave Florence without stopping for a moment to pay my respects at his tomb:
The statues on Dante’s tomb look particularly bummed out:
Santa Croce is too huge to be the kind of church where you can sit on a pew and collect your thoughts for a few moments. But it’s filled with so many delights. Brightly painted chapels:
A chapel frescoed by Giotto:
Sad Madonnas:
Even a piece of St. Francis of Assisi’s trademark tunic:
You can lose yourself in Santa Croce – in more ways than one.
My Favorite Museum: Not the Uffizi Gallery
Of course I liked visiting the Uffizi. I’m not insane. But it wasn’t my favorite museum-going experience. Waiting in long queues, having to make reservations, the abundance of tour guides with their flocks crowding the place. It wasn’t possible to relax and lose yourself. It was more like – I need to see this, this and this…and then I can escape! But the room of Botticellis made the hassle worthwhile.
Photography is now banned in the Uffizi (and in most museums and many churches in Italy), but I stilled managed to sneak a few photos. It really became a sickness with me. It’s like the equivalent of a rich person who shoplifts just for the thrill. I got this shot of a priceless Fra Filippo Lippi painting:
And I was determined to get a photo of “The Birth of Venus.” I was sitting on a bench, right next to a security guard. I held my camera on my lap and clicked. It looks dreadful – I manipulated it in the hopes that it’d appear bad-on-purpose, but I’m afraid it just looks bad:
I don’t know why such things give me pleasure.
My Favorite Museum: The Duomo Museum
This museum is located right across the street from the Duomo. It is filled with sculpture and religious paintings. I have become a big fan of sculpture since I came to Paris, so I think that’s why I enjoyed this museum so much. And it’s a pleasant place to visit, filled with light and open spaces, plus there’s room to breathe and be semi-alone.
The highlight of the museum is Michelangelo’s late-in-life Pietà:
It is worth visiting this museum just to see this sculpture. Michelangelo was an old man when he sculpted this and the face of Nicodemus is his own face:
The other marquee sculpture in this museum is Donatello’s wooden sculpture of Mary Magdalene:
If I were Mary Magdalene, I’d sue. [What's with the bulging biceps?] This sculpture is utterly odd, extremely creepy and given that it’s made of wood, a fire hazard. Not to be missed.
My Second Favorite Museum: Museum of San Marco
There were many times on my trip when I wanted to kill Rick Steves (more about that in my last post on Rome coming up), but this was not one of those times. His glowing endorsement of this museum convinced me to visit in the limited time I had.
This museum is housed in the 15th-century monastery of San Marco. It features the largest collection of work by Fra Angelico. The bottom floor of the monastery is filled with religious paintings. But the top floor of the monastery – THE TOP FLOOR! Oh my. Oh my. Oh my. There are 43 monks’ cells decorated with frescoes painted by Fra Angelico and his assistants. The Renaissance artwork on the walls of these tiny, barren cells is such an odd and delightful sight. This is so different from a regular art museum because the art goes hand-in-hand with the monastery setting. Walking the darkened halls of this monastery and popping my head into the cells to see their hidden and dreamy art was like being invited into a secret world.
Not surprisingly, I broke the law and took a few photos:
It’s possible to view the cell of Savonarola – the 15th-century Florentine equivalent of Tom DeLay. Many of his personal belongings are on display.
Fra Angelico’s famous work “The Annunciation” sits at the top of a staircase, at the entrance to the cells. I so wanted to take a photo of it, but the guards were too close. And I was very disappointed to discover that the only postcard of it they had for sale in the gift shop was beyond dreadful – the photo looked like it had been taken with a disposable camera. If you’re going to ban photography in your museum – in an obvious attempt to increase the sale of your postcards and books – here’s a handy suggestion: Try hiring a professional photographer to work for you, preferably one who isn’t color blind.
Other than this annoyance, this museum is a real gem and highly recommended.
One More Favorite Thing: The Bluest Sky
Florence has the bluest sky I’ve ever seen. The view from the top of the Boboli Gardens:
I think the Tuscany region of Italy is known for its intense blue sky. By the time I left, my nose was sunburned. A sunburn in December! Fabulous.
[tags]Florence, Firenze[/tags]
Anglofille said @ 9:53 pm | travel | 5 Comments
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Is it normal to be turned on by a statue?
Errrr…….no I don’t think that is normal!!
Once again, fabulous photos Anglofille. All those memories of Florence come flooding back!!
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Anita Says:
January 30th, 2007 at 3:20 am“If I were Mary Magdalene, I’d sue. [What’s with the bulging biceps?]” I think it’s safe to say that Donatello used a male model for that one. That’s the jaw line of a linebacker.
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Lovely pictures, really must get my arse into gear and go traveling again. Thank you for sharing!
If it’s any help I’ve never been at all aroused by a statue. But each to their own
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rebecca Says:
January 31st, 2007 at 6:17 amYour comments about David had me laughing quite loudly! We just talked about David in my art history class last week and commented that his head and hands are completely out of proportion (way too big!) with the rest of his body.
But his rear-end is quite nice.
I love your pictures of the paths. Something about them is so tranquil. I love them.
And it cracks me up to know that you took a photo right next to a security guard! Naughty girl!
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Thanks for the compliments, y’all! These travel posts are a lot of work and I always wonder if readers like them.
Rebecca, David’s body is oddly out of proportion when seen in person. But still, he’s so…hot.
