We headed eagerly to Princess Theatre where we were hustled into groups and in a very short time ushered out of the ship and onto our awaiting bus where we met our guide for the day. I felt like an eight-year old school girl on my way to town with Mom to pick up my new school supplies/wardrobe.
As our bus meandered through the lovely Tuscan countryside our guide provided commentary on the Etruscan empire and the Italian Renaissance. I just wanted to get my photo taken 'pushing over' the Leaning Tower!
Approaching Pisa, our guide advised that as soon as the bus came to a stop we would be surrounded by 'gypsies' selling their wares. She was correct. They were already converging on us before we had even come to a full stop. We were warned not to purchase products from them as it was illegal to do so ~ something that I was not aware of! She did point out the legal merchants, but to be honest in most cases the offerings didn't look any different. I had my eye on a gorgeous umbrella emblazened with a photo of Florence...but Reese just yanked me away and told me not to make eye contact. Really? That's half the fun!
We strolled behind our guide as she led us through the large parking area and across the street. As we filed down a narrow street draped in bougainvillea, I could see the Tower in the distance. Before long, we entered a large field (The Field of Miracles) and there it was...in all of it's glory...leaning like a flower to the sun. We jockeyed with all of the eager tourists to take our signature pictures and Voila! Not exactly as I had hoped, but it would do!
After marveling at the 14 foot incline, we stopped at the Cathredal and Baptistery, a beautiful representation of Pisan-Style architecture with tiers of arcades, together with geometrical decorations based on lozenge shapes. It was getting hot ~ about 31 degrees already ~ and when our 40 minutes or so was up we were eager to once again board the bus and head to Florence, the jewel of the Renaissance.
About 1.5 hours later and we arrive in the beautiful Piazza Della Republica in Florence. From here we can already make out the pointed tower of the Palazzo Vecchio and the Cathedral's massive dome. It is the cathedral, the Duomo, that symbolizes the wealth and power of Florence in its golden age. The facade is decorated with multi-coloured marble in pleasant geometric shapes. The interior of the dome is adorned with a fresco of the Last Supper and beautiful stained glass. Outside the Duomo is the graceful Campanile or Bell Tower. In front of the cathedral is the Baptistry decorated in white and green marble. One of the most notable features of the Duomo are the doors, which present scenes from the Bible sculpted on a series of bronze panels. Michelangelo himself thought them so beautiful he named them the Gates of Paradise. We stroll on a bit further until we come to the Piazza della Signoria. In this lovely square, flanked by cafes you will find copies of Michelangelo's 'David' and Donatello's "Florentine Lion". We opted to stop here for a while at one of the lovely cafes and enjoy the view over an espresso freddo and Caprese salad.
Once we were refreshed we wandered on, enjoying the lovely shops and trattorias offering up a spot in the shade and beautiful works of leather, ceramic, mosaics and jewelry. One could spend a good deal of time and money in Florence! Fashion houses here rival those of Paris and London. Jewelry stores literally surround the beautiful Ponte Vecchio ~ our next stop. This lovely colourful bridge was home to the medieval gold and silver guilds and still today is as our guide put it "Loved by all women and avoided by all men" because of the large number of jewelry shops flanking it on either side. As we posed for photos I noticed many tiny locks attached to the rod iron railings. These are put there by young lovers to symbolize their love.
As we stood posing and trying to get just enough of the background in the shot, a young, nervous Italian lad dropped to his knees and proposed to his young love right beside me! The crowd broke out into applause and the lovely young gal blushed and happily accepted the offer of marriage from her suitor. Ahhhhh Italy ~ so Romantic! We congratulated the young couple as they reveled in the moment and all that the future had to hold. As time was getting away from us, we hurried along to the Uffizi Museum and Gallery. With it's incredible collection of Renaissance masterpieces, the Uffizi is recognized as one of the world's greatest museums, rivaling even the Louvre. Here one can find such works as Botticelli's "Birth of Venus", and "Spring and Madonnas", along with Leonardo da Vinci's "Annunciation" and "Baptism of Christ". To think that we were walking among these incredible buildings where so many of the world's most renowned artists lived and breathed is awe-inspiring. If one can handle the lines you can also see the original "David" and The Accademia as well as the tombs of Michelangelo, Macchiavelli, Galileo, Rossini and Dante in the 14th century Church of Santa Croce. Time did not permit us to visit these last two sites, but we will save those for next time because Florence IS one of those incredibly beautiful cities that warrants more than a peek or a taste. It is to be savored and experienced as the true masterpiece that it is.
Our group is gathered together in front of one of the local leather shops and as we chatter amongst ourselves with animated joy and appreciation for the day we are called once again to board our coach and head back to our awaiting Princess. Our senses are over-flowing and I fight to keep my fluttering eyes from closing as we bid good-bye to Florence and the Tuscan Region.
Next stop is Naples and we have a wonderful day waiting for us. Please say you'll come along for the ride!
No comments:
Post a Comment