|
|
david
and carol
Our Magnificent
Journey | Chapter 1 | Europe 1999 | London, Paris, Venice, Florence |
|
This morning we are on a mission. We woke
up refreshed after a good night's sleep, had a quick breakfast
at the hotel of rolls, juice, coffee, cereal, and that wonderful
Nutella-like chocolate spread. We had risen early today in hopes
of beating the mad rush of tourists at the Galleria dell' Accademia
to see the world's most favorite statue, Michelangelo's David. |
|
|
The line was long when we arrived at 8:25
A.M. When we finally got inside to the ticket counter, we realized
that we did not have the correct lire for admittance tickets.
So, back out the door, a mad search around the block for a bank
machine, quick walk (run) back to the Accademia and the back
of a thankfully short line, then we were in. |
|
 |
|
|
Seeing the David once again after so
many years made us both cry, as did the magnificent other sculptures
such as the Quattro Prigioni ("four prisoners")
by Michelangelo - wonderful "unfinished" works of figures
seemingly struggling to escape from their "prisons"
of marble. In a couple of places it is easy to see Michelangelo's
chisel marks. |
|
 |
|
|
The Accademia was the first school in Europe,
perhaps the world, established for the purpose of teaching technical
aspects of painting and sculpture to students by encouraging
them to copy the works of the Masters. It was awesome and emotional
to see the David again after thirty years. He still looks
like he is ready to step down off his podium and walk amongst
us. The David had originally stood for many, many years
in the Piazza della Signoria, near where a copy now stands, but
was moved for safety into the Accademia around 1840. |
|
|
The Accademia had many rooms full of wonderful
paintings and sculptures by various artists from the 11th century
up to today. There were also a few very old musical instruments
to view, as well as a room of many varied plaster figures. We
spent about one and a half very emotional hours in this extraordinary
building, and were very sad to leave. |
|
|
We then walked the few blocks to the now very
familiar Mercato San Lorenzo, where the vendors have actually
come to know and recognize us. We visited again with Oscar, who
was tired from dancing the Tango until 3 in the morning. We bought
more leather trinkets, such as beautiful hand crafted leather
cigar holders. |
|
|
After strolling around the leather stalls
and once more into the fragrant Mercato Centrale, where Carol
bought some bottled delicacies from a friend of Oscar's, we went
back to the hotel and packed for the last leg of our Magnificent
Journey - the trip to London. |
|
|
After packing and resting, we walked to the
Mercato Nuovo, another, smaller leather market, where we wanted
to find more trinkets and souvenirs. Came up empty but stumbled
upon a quaint little aromatherapy shop where Carol bought delicate
vials of scented oils for her sisters, and I bought a small box
of Italian licorice root for brother Jim. |
|
 |
|
|
We continued past the Piazza della Signoria
and the splendid Uffizi museum, down several winding streets
to the remarkable ancient gothic Church of Santa Croce. This
is one of the largest churches in the area, and within its walls
are buried Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, Enrico Fermi,
Rossini and many, many other Italian luminaries and religious
figures. The wooden ceiling, far above us, was built in 1363
and its colors look astonishingly crisp and beautiful today,
in 1999. It continually astounds us how the architects and builders,
so long, long ago, could create these splendid masterpieces of
architecture. Again, another very emotional hour spent contemplating
this vast beauty and the lives of the great people buried here. |
|
 |
|
|
We found it hard to leave Santa Croce, but
we decided to search for Cohibas for my friends, and the tabachi
near trattoria Za Za where we had seen them earlier was closed
for the mid-day "siesta." We walked back to the hotel
but stopped at a sexy lingerie shop nearby called "Intermizzi,"
where Carol tried on and bought some very sexy white lace underwear.
While we were paying the bill, one of the salesgirls looked up
and said something to another salesgirl about me and they giggled.
The other salesgirl said "My friend thinks you are very
handsome," and pointed to my beard. Embarrassed, I stammered
something and we thanked them and left for the short walk to
the hotel. |
|
|
After naps we walked the few blocks back to
trattoria Za Za, a small distance northeast of our beloved Mercato
San Lorenzo. [This is exactly where the leather market was situated
in 1971 when Jim and I spent the summer backpacking through Europe.]
It was very windy and Za Za seemed to be ignoring us, so we left,
but fortunately the tabachi was open again and I was able
to buy a few precious Cohibas. |
|
|
We walked several blocks, past the hotel,
to the restaurant that Eleni had originally told us about two
days before, the one that was closing as we arrived, called Uvafragola,
in Piazza Santa Maria Novella. Carol ordered insalada caprese
(salad with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and olives,) and a delicious
ravioli with cream, ham and peas. I had my favorite prosciutto
and melon, and spaghetti con fruiti di mare. And, of course,
the house wine. A young French couple sitting next to us thought
I was "le directeur" in the "peignoir
noir." Then the woman thought I was "le acteur."
I was wearing a black silk shirt and probably looked Italian
to these French kids… |
|
|
Following dinner we walked one last time to
our favorite square, the Piazza della Signoria, where we had
espresso and delicious tiramisu. We then walked, arm-in-arm
as usual, past the usual street vendors, the divine Duomo, the
shops, the gelati vendors, the cafés, through this
spectacular, ancient Italian city full of Renaissance wonders,
and back to the Hotel Romagna, early to bed to be able to catch
the morning train to Pisa and our flight to London. It was quite
sad to reflect that this was to be our last night in wondrous
Firenze and glorious Italy… |
|
|
copyright 1998 / david
and carol lehrman / all rights reserved |
|
email david@davidandcarol.com |
|
