Quick update on Florence.

Florence was great. It was touristry, but in a good way. After I arrived I went to check out the Duomo (Cathedral). I thought after Rome, I would be prepared for this, but it was really stunning. Along with the baptistry and bell tower, it was easily the most beautiful church facade I've ever seen. Although it needed a good washing and the inside was kind of sparse (comparitivly). The Dome was really cool, probably one of the greatist engineering achievements in of the renaissance. Best of all, I got to climb up to the top of the dome. It had great views, but it was mostly just cool to climb around something inside something like that. While on the subject of churches I went to Santa Croce, which is pretty much the Westminster abbey of the Renaissance. People with tombs inside include, Michelangelo, Donatello, Galileo, Machiavelli, Dante, Rossini, Marconi and Fermi.

As far as museums, first I did the Uffizi (worst customer service of any museum so far, especially ticketing/entrance) which holds all sorts of renaissance masterworks from Florence, namely Boticelli's "Primavera" and "Birth of Venus". Then it was on to the Academia which holds the original "David" by Michelangelo, plus lots of other stuff for such a small museum. That night I climbed a hill that overlooked Florence which had the Piazza Michelangelo with some great views and a really neat looking church on top.

On day three I took a day trip to Pisa, no explanation needed for the most part. Although the baptistry had amazing acoustics. Every 30 minutes someone would come in and give a demonstration by singing three notes, a few seconds later you could hear really loud overtones coming down from the top of the dome, it was really cool.

That was pretty much it for Florence (I'm trying to do a quick update). Oh, souveneer hunting was fun. I knew I got a good deal from bargaining when the merchants looked upset after the transaction was over, not just before.



In responce to moms questions,

Yeah, I definately felt sorry for all the Christians that were murdered there. Although, by the time I arrived in Rome I had seen so much christian art graphically depecting the deaths of saints in all of the museums and churches I think I was kind of desensitized to it.

As far as personalities, there's really a whole range. Some really nice and helpful, some really shady, some who have no buisness being around other people, and everything in between. Pretty much just like the US.

Food I don't really have a lot to report on, I've been trying to get food from groceries as much as possible to save money. I had some good shepards pie in Dublin, a lamb and mint pasty in London, and really good breakfasts at the hotel in Paris. Bern was really expensive, but I did find a good pretzel place. In Florence (the birth place of gelato) I supposedly had some at the best gelato place there. It was really good and fresh, but I still think the place in Rome tastes better.

Cheers! (as they say in Dublin and London)



Pictures:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2119964&l=d4c37&id=38301811

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2120197&l=6ac94&id=38301811

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2120472&l=1484b&id=38301811