Florence...

Tonight, I'm doing all pictures...

This is part of the "new" city walls constructed in the 12th century.  Florence has had a number of versions of its city walls erected over the centuries as it grew.  These are near where I was staying in the Oltrarno district. 

Looking across the Arno towards the oldest part of Florence. 

This is the Church of Santa Maria Novella.

This is the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, also known as the Florence Cathedral.  This is just the central door...the whole structure goes on for blocks and is one of the largest cathedrals in Italy.

And this is the thing I most wanted to see in Florence, Brunelleschi's Dome, known simply as The Duomo.  It's near the back of the cathedral and soars over Florence.  I've always been fascinated by Brunelleschi's story.  He was a sculptor who worked in bronze.  In the early 15th century, a contest was held to see who would be commissioned to create sculpted bronze doors for the baptistery at the cathedral.  Each artist submitted one panel for judging.  Brunelleschi came in second.  Feeling shamed and rejected, he retreated to Rome where he became interested in ancient architecture.  The Florence Cathedral had been a work in progress for over a hundred years, and by 1418 it was complete except for its dome.  The problem was, no one knew how a dome as large as the one called for in the original plans could be built.  Flying buttresses had been deemed illegal in Florence, as the gothic structures were favored by their enemies.  Without the support of external buttresses, however, building the dome seemed impossible.  Once again the city held a contest, this time in structural engineering, to see if anyone could come up with a plan for the dome.  Brunelleschi combined his knowledge of ancient Roman structures with his brilliance for mathematics and came up with a plan.  This time he won!  His dome was the marvel of Renaissance times.  It remains the largest brick dome in the world and a masterpiece of engineering.  I've remembered that story vividly since first hearing it about 25 years ago.  It has always struck me as a testament to second chances.  So what if he came in second place to sculpt some doors.  He went on to achieve something remarkable that will stand throughout history as a masterpiece.  His is a story that screams "never give up!"              

This is the front of the cathedral.

The best view of the duomo is from the back, which is, unfortunately, undergoing renovation. 

The main mode of transportation in Florence is motor scooters.  I like the bicycle cities better...much quieter.

Bartolucci's...a traditional Italian woodworking shop.

This is the edge of the Uffizi museum just outside the Palazzo Vecchio. 

No, this isn't the real David by Michelangelo.  It is a replica that stands in the spot where the real one originally stood.

Another statue at the Uffizi.  Most of these guys are depicted in battle and all of them are naked.  I don't know...to me it seems like that leaves one quite vulnerable.

Each region has its own type of pizza.  Here in Florence it is formed into a long rectangle and cut into squares.  The crust is thicker, also.  Still yummy, though. 

Mmmm...popcicles.

This is entering the Ponte Vecchio.  Believe it or not, this is a bridge.

Here it is from the riverside.

And all they sell on the bridge is jewelry.  Every single shop on both sides is a jeweler. 

This is in the middle of the bridge; more love locks.

This is the restaurant where I had dinner tonight, and it is inside these rooms that America was discovered!  Well, sort of...a famous mathematician and cartographer lived here.  He was the person who charted the course Christopher Columbus would take on his voyage west that eventually landed him in America. 

 

Ravenna to Florence

This will be a short blog tonight, because I am exhausted.  This is the 5th city I've been to in 4 days...not counting cities in which I just changed trains.  What was I thinking?  Apparently I was thinking I've still got enough youth left in me to attempt such a schedule.  Foolish me!

I had the morning in Ravenna and then in the afternoon I began my train journeys to Florence.  I had to take one train back to Bologna and change to another train coming to Florence.  By the time I arrived, I was so tired that I just got off the train and took a taxi (which I rarely do) to my apartment.  Usually when I arrive in a new city, I spend a little time in the central station getting a transportation pass, a tourist map, and a map of the bus, tram, or train lines so I have a little info about how to get around.  But, in my hurry to get here, I failed to even pick up a tourist map.  That will be at the top of my list of things to do first thing tomorrow morning.  I did look up a map and some sights to see on my tablet, but I don't carry it around with me during the day.  I travel light when I'm on foot all day.  It was nearing dusk anyway by the time I got back out, and without a map to guide me, I just did a short tour of my surrounding neighborhood...so, I won't really have anything to report about Florence until tomorrow.

Until then, here are some final pictures of Ravenna and a few of my apartment in Florence...

This is Basilica di San Apollinare.

Inside the basilica.  This one is unusual in that it has the tile work above the side arches, but the altar is much more traditional looking. 

 

A closer view of the tile work above the arches.

 

 

The altar...done in marble without any tile.

 

This is inside the Basilica di San Francesco.  It's noteworthy for two things, one of which is inside the little archway below the altar that these school kids are clamoring to get a look at.  See next pic... 

 

It's a baptismal well...right under the church altar.  And it has goldfish in it!  Holy goldfish, I'm guessing.

This is the other noteworthy thing at San Francesco: it's the tomb of Dante Alighieri.  Dante lived in Ravenna after he was exiled from Florence, died here, and was entombed at this church.  Oddly enough, Florence also has a tomb for Dante...but his actual remains lie in this one in Ravenna.

I saw these signs in Ravenna and thought they were cute.  This is parking for pregnant mothers...with a little heart in their belly. 

 

This is my studio apartment in Florence.  It feels very Italian with the brick tiled floor and large windows with wooden shutters.  It was warm enough when I arrived to have them open.

The kitchenette.  Check out the gigantic lock on the door to left of the counter. 

The very small, but cute, blue-tiled bathroom.  The shower is across from the toilet.

These are my windows from the outside with the interior doors closed.  There are additional wooden shutters that cover the glass part of the windows from inside.

 

 

 

 

Ravenna

This morning, with kisses and hugs all around, I sadly had to leave my sanctuary at Vera's and venture forth into the world.  I'm not sad to be continuing my travels, but it sure was hard to leave Vera and Antoanella.  I feel blessed to have met them and hope to one day return for another visit.  They are both incredibly special people.

From Venice, I took the train to Ravenna.  I know what you're all thinking: you've never heard of Ravenna, right?  Well, put it on your list of places that you must see if you ever come to Italy.  It is nicknamed "the mosaic city" and it's beautiful.  Ravenna has a rich history that has left it with a multitude of cultural treasures.  In the 5th century, it was the capital of the Western Roman Empire until it fell to the Germanic Ostrogoths.  King Theoderic the Great moved into Ravenna and made it his capital city, from which he ruled the Ostrogoths and, for a time, also the Visigoths.  Theoderic is an interesting guy...he made a treaty with the Italian King, and then killed him with his own hands while they were toasting it at a feast.  But, as a ruler, he was known as being fair and peaceful and promoting racial harmony.  He allowed the Italians to live by Roman law, while the Goths lived by their laws.  When angry mobs burned synagogues, he ordered them rebuilt at the city's expense.  He oversaw the building of structures dedicated to his Arian Christianity, but also allowed the Orthodox Latin Bishops to build structures dedicated to their beliefs.  He reigned over a long period of peace in the region.  Even kings, however, are mortal...within 30 years of his death, the Byzantines had taken Ravenna and, they too, made it their seat of government. 

So, as you can imagine, this is a city filled with a wide variety of architecture and antiquities.  And a common thread running through most of them is the amazing mosaic tile work that the city is known for. 

Some other points of interest: 

• Car traffic is banned in the oldest parts of the city, so locals get around on bikes...somewhat like in Amsterdam, although where I would guess Amsterdam is about 80% bikes and 20% cars, Ravenna is probably a 50/50 split.  Still, it's nice to be away from all that smog, noise, and traffic congestion.
• Ravenna is small, easy to navigate with a tourist map, and if you don't mind walking a bit, you can do all the historical sites on foot.
• It's only 2km from the Adriatic coast, so if you're here in warmer weather there are beautiful beaches close by.
• Because it's not as well known as Florence, Venice, or Rome, there aren't as many crowds.  I walked right into everything I wanted to see today without any wait.

Finally, here are some pics...they won't do justice to the beauty, but nevertheless...

This is the entrance gate to San Giovani Evangelista. 

These are buildings in Piazza del Popolo, where the current seat of government is located.

This is the municipal building in Piazza del Popolo.

This place was serving all kinds of tempting treats...and the cute entrance just makes you want to venture inside.

Even the street signs are pretty.

This is the gate into the old city.

This is the Basilica of St. Vitale.  Not spectacular on the outside, but stroll inside and...

...you are greeted with amazingly beautiful tile work.

Photos just don't do this justice.  It's all done in small pieces of mosaic tile.

 

Just behind the basilica is the mausoleum of Galla Placidia, daughter, wife and mother to Roman Emperors.  Again, don't be fooled by the drab exterior.

 

This is the interior.  Under each arch is a sarcophagus.

 

A closer view.

And another..

 

This was once a Roman bathhouse, but was turned into a baptistery called Battistero Neoniano.  I guess if you've already got a well, why not?

 

The ceiling inside the baptistery.

The marble baptismal pool in the middle.

One of the many arches around the pool.

 

A closer view of the amazing craftsmanship of the tile work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

      

Venezia

Venice, or Venezia to the locals, is one of the most unique places I have visited.  It is beautiful, for sure, but it also has a distinct character.  The streets are very narrow, a maze of wonders connected by bridges over canals both large and small.  The  buildings rise right out of the water.  There is no car or bicycle traffic at all.  It is a pedestrian and boat city.  There are gondolas, private boats, water taxis, and a water-bus system.  It's just like any other bus system with regular routes and stops, but all done on boats.  Today I bought a 12 hour water-bus ticket and explored Venice by water as well as by foot.  That allowed me to visit Murano, an island famous for its glasswork.  There are pictures below, but first just a note about a couple of other things.

Food!  Everything in Italy tastes fabulous...and better than any of its American counterparts.  A new friend, Antoanella, has a theory that it is because the climate and soil are different, so things taste different.  I think she's exactly right.  Tanya and I came to this same conclusion while in Paris trying to figure out why their bread and butter were so divine.  The pizza here is so much better than our pizza, even though it is made from the same basic ingredients.  The crust is better, the sauce is better, the cheese is better.  It is addictively good.  In fact, I had it for breakfast this morning.  Their gelato is so much better than our ice cream.  It's creamier and the flavors are deeper and richer.  My gelato theory is one I plan to test daily while in Italy...so many flavors, so little time!  After all, any hypothesis I make about Italian food in general, and gelato in particular, should be subjected to rigorous analysis to provide a range of data, right? I would be remiss if I just made general assumptions without further indulging...uh, I mean testing.

And finally, I have to say more about Vera...and her friend Antoanella.  While Venice is lovely and interesting, the best thing about Venice, and maybe all of Italy, is Vera.  She is kind, loving, warm, and has made me feel more like a member of the family than a 2-night guest.  I've tried to get her to let me take a picture so you could all see her, but she says she is not photogenic.  While I doubt that's true, I'm sure no photograph could capture her true beauty.  Also staying here is a longtime friend of Vera's named Antoanella.  She has a truly warm heart and an understanding about people and the world that I really admire.  I feel as though I have gained an Italian aunt and sister.  I will miss them both when I leave tomorrow.

And now, today in pictures...

This is the Rialto, the oldest and most famous of the four bridges that span the Grand Canal in Venice.

 

This is a water bus...with passengers departing.

Mmmmmmmmmm!

 

This is a water-bus stop.  It's just like any other bus stop with routes and schedules posted inside and passengers waiting for the next one to arrive.

 

 

This is in San Marco Piazza.  It's a corner where the palace and basilica meet.  There is no way to get a whole photo of each.  The palace is longer than the average city block.

 

 

 

                  

This is half of San Marco's Basilica from the front.  The right half is undergoing renovations.  I absolutely love Byzantine architecture and this picture doesn't begin to do justice to the beauty of this building.  I didn't go inside because the line was 2 hours long, although I desperately wanted to because the ceiling mosaics are supposed to be phenomenal.  This building holds the remains of St. Mark, also known as Mark the Evangelist.  If you still don't know who that is, mentioning his counterparts, Matthew, Luke, and John, should ring a bell.

 

 

A closer shot of detail above the door.

And an even closer shot of detail above one of the archways.  Keep in mind, this is not a painting, it's mosaic tile.  Amazing!

A beautiful glass door on the island of Murano.

 

Gondolas on the Grand Canal.

These are the gates of the glass factory on Murano, where they hand craft beautiful glasswork.

And this is some of their work.

I wandered down a back street in Murano and found this cute gnome garden.

Murano has glass statues in its squares all around the island.

Displaying the variety of today's fresh catch is pretty typical in Venetian restaurants.

I loved this corner sculpture of a dragon holding a ball of umbrellas.

It's which way?  Venice is a labyrinth of tiny, twisting streets.  Even with the map Vera gave me, I was often lost.  In reality, you can go either way through a maze of streets to get to both the Rialto and San Marco from here, but signs like this are really confusing to the lost tourist.