Florence

FLORENCE

We decided to go to Florence for a day trip. Both of us wanted to go, but since we were so set up in Rome, a day trip made the most sense. We went on a Saturday so Angela of Padua could meet us for the day. Angela and Bonnie are old friends from both the states and Italy so this was a good reunion for them. Angela is open and friendly, so we meshed easily.

After a smooth and comfortable 1.5 hr train ride, we disembarked to find Angela waiting for us on the platform. The modern security procedures in airports have done away with this type of arrival and departure, but the train still offers such simple pleasures.

First order of the day was lunch. After a quick consultation Angela led us to a place near the train station. In true Italian style, we enjoyed a leisurely 2 hour lunch. Both wine and conversation flowed freely and we enjoyed not only Angela's company but also a loud and loving table near ours, with grandparents, parents and babies.

Florence is the seat of the Renaissance and known worldwide for it's architecture and overall ambience. Even though we only had a few hours, we gulped as much Florentine flavor as we could. After lunch, the first stop was the "duomo". The photo below left is the "duomo". The photo below that is the inside of the dome. The photo below right is one of the doors.

every inch of the church is ornate

inside the dome

Angela of Padua and Bonnie of Louisville

The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore is the main church of Florence, Italy. Il Duomo di Firenze, as it is ordinarily called, was begun in 1296 in the Gothic style to the design of Arnolfo di Cambio ...

 

The first of the 463 steps to the top of the Dome

Yet another beautiful church, but much more than that. Beside the fact that the pink and green marble is breathtakingly beautiful, the dome is an architectural wonder, not only of the time but still a mystery today.  

After a contest was held to find a builder back in the 13th century, a goldsmith who had NEVER BUILT ANYTHING was chosen to take on the project.

Filippo Brunelleschi was chosen and the work started in 1418 and it took until 1434 to complete. Brunelleschi started in 1420.

Even today the 149' dome is a mystery of construction. The dome has certainly withstood the test of time but one must wonder what "demons of doubt" this inexperienced builder must have faced.

Beside the fact that collapse was a possibility at all times and that the craftsmen were working hundreds of feet in the air, when they finally got to the top everything had to meet perfectly.

The other night, here in Louisville, we watched a documentary on the dome and an Italian architect named Massimo Ricci who is currently trying to reproduce the dome on a much smaller scale.

  

From the inside of the dome, one can easily forget about construction techniques and be overtaken by it's beauty. If one desires, you can take the very long and narrow stairway passage which spirals around the inside walls of the dome to the very top. We did not do it. One could write a whole book on the "duomo"and I'm sure many exist. 

But, with only one afternoon to spend, we missed much more than we saw. That said, what we saw was stunning. After quite awhile at the duomo and it's surrounding environs, we moved on toward the River Arno. Yes, we walked right past the famous Uffizi Gallery. Next time. 

Looking through the arch in front of Uffizi Gallery and across the Arno River

We arrived at the river just as the light of the day was fading into the night. As the lights of the streets and buildings at the rivers edge flicked on, the river became a jewel of reflection. To our right we saw the famous Ponte Vecchio.

The Arno River with Ponte Vecchio to the right

The Ponte Vecchio is so charming and fanciful it easily ignites ones imagination. The bridge itself is lined with shops cantilevered off the edges. One building just at the end of the bridge caught my attention more than the others. On the top was one of those sweet rooftop gardens that can only make one imagine sitting in the sunshine of a spring day, eating bread, olives, cheese and wine while breathing in the sweet river breeze from below. Yes, we will most definitely return to Florence.

Cantilevered shops on the Ponte Vecchio

Rooftop garden that ignited my imagination

After our lovely day we walked back to the train station for some refreshment, a few minutes more with Angela of Padua, and an emotional farewell between the two dear friends. Once again, the train platform provided the stage for hello's and goodbyes. Not long afterward, our train arrived and we boarded for a warm and sleepy return to our little haven on Via del Pelligrino.

We only used cabs a few times in Rome and the return trip from Florence was one of them. Sometimes, that little extra layer of luxury can make all the difference.

Rome 4

I want to talk about our little street, Via del Pellegrino.

Front Door to our building

The part we were on started in the Campo di Fiori and continued for about 1000-1500 feet. It was made of flat cobble stone, laid in an arch pattern, like most Roman streets and about 12' across at the widest points.

There were stores and restaurants on both sides and we were constantly discovering new ones even though we walked past them multiple times a day. There was a clock repair shop, an engraver, multiple boutiques and children stores, a book and paper shop, an antique shop, a natural food store, a basket shop, a pottery shop, a tailor shop, a hotel and an espresso bar. There was also a tiny housewares and hardware store run by what appeared to be some of Rome's first inhabitants---an ancient and tiny couple. As you walk on our little street, if you look up you see lovely little apartment balconies with small gardens. Then, looking both left and right, small streets and alleys spur off leading to more of the same, which in the case of Rome means fascinating possibilities. I think we could have spent months more, walking in circles and discovering nooks and crannies. I imagine there would still be much left to see that we walked past but didn't notice.

Roman Skyline from the Vatican

When we first got to Rome, I assumed that as with most cities, there would be a modern trade area complete with 100 story high rises. Not so in Rome. That sort of thing is in modern Milan but Rome is beautifully timeless. Four to five stories seems to be the limit(except for bell towers) as you look out from a highpoint on a sea of tile roofs and church domes. Oh, I must not forget lots of trees and the winding river Tiber. The photo above is the Roman skyline from the Vatican.

Vestment Store

One sight we ran across that seems obvious yet also improbable was a vestment store. I always assumed that the opulent robes and gowns worn by popes and cardinals were all custom made. Well, I guess not. We did not go inside the store, but from the window we saw a variety of clothing, from the most ornate priestly robes to very plain nun habits and shoes. Yes, some nuns wear white Birkenstocks. Actually, after just reading up on this, some of the clothing is custom made. This is one of the first things done after a new pope is selected. Does that mean the former popes keep their vestments---I guess most perish while in office.

While Rome is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church, the history of Rome takes one back far before Christianity. Churches and Christianity are ever present, but that is along with paganism. I would imagine that even simple street and plumbing repairs often turn up relics of the past. We saw some excavations of sites where the former street level seemed to be 20' or more below the current level. I just read that the necropolis below the vatican is 60 feet down.

Rome 5

One reason the site for Rome was chosen must be the water. I read that ancient Rome used 280 million gallons of water a day. The water comes from a series of springs and fills cisterns. To this day there are operating public water hydrants, with water flowing 24/7. I don't mean available to use, I mean flowing continuously.

The many piazza's with their beautiful fountains were originally places that ancient Roman citizens went to fill water vessels. The water is so good, that even today it is untreated except for chlorine and I would imagine settling tanks.

 

Did I mention that a cappuccino is €1 or $1.14, if you don't get table service. Surprisingly, in England, Italy and Norway(we had an unintended overnight in Oslo), gluten free options are offered commonly in stores and restaurants. I had heard that wheat products in Italy do not cause problems for many people that have problems with U.S. wheat. So, I decided to go for it and see what happened. Luckily for me I was able to enjoy the full range of bread products offered. This is the kind of place where in the morning you go to the bakery and buy 1/2 loaf of bread by weight. Then on the way home you stop and get a cappuccino, etc. and maybe a fresh squeezed orange juice(spremuta d'arancia). Most of the people I dealt with were able to understand my mix of Spanish, French and English words. At least well enough to deal with simple concepts.

There is some humor in the idea of two hearing impaired people understanding each other let alone others speaking another language. Bonnie was much better at the language than I, but I could communicate well enough.

Our apartment was just off the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, a large street which goes to the monument of the same name. About half way to the monument from the Campo di Fiori, you will find the Largo di Torre Argentina ruins. They sit well below the street level but have columns sticking up above the current street level. One day, during our wanderings, we happened on them.

Largo di Torre Argentina

Known as Largo di Torre Argentina, this archaeological wonder was excavated as part of Mussolini's rebuilding efforts in 1929, revealing extensive multi-level temples that lie sunken 20 feet below modern street level. Besides several different temples, Torre Argentina also contains part of the famous Theater of Pompey, upon whose steps dictator Julius Caesar was betrayed and killed in 44 BCE. Today, volunteers at Torre Argentina care for approximately 250 cats. After the site was excavated, Rome's feral cats moved in immediately, as they do all over the city, and the gattare, or cat ladies, began feeding and caring for them. Since the mid-1990s, the population has grown from about 90 to the current 250, and the organization has ramped up with care for sick or wounded cats, as well as an extensive spay and neuter program to keep the feral population in check. Most of the permanent residents have special needs - they are blind or missing legs or came from abusive homes. (from the blog "Atlas Obscura")

Of course, we didn't know any of the facts in the last paragraph but there sure were lots of cats, lounging in the sun everywhere one looked.