This was, I believe, the best day yet. It was also, I know, the most tiring day yet! We left on this Wednesday morning for a little Tuscan town called San Gimignano. Tuscany lives up to all you have heard or read about it. It has beautiful vineyards, olive groves, rolling green hills, and ancient buildings that make it a picturesque place.We arrived in the village of San Gimignano early in the day. This fortified hillside town still looks like it would have 1000 years ago. Fourteen of the original 70 towers still stand around the town. The cathedral is covered in frescoes dating back to the 12th century. (Our guide called them the "comic books of the church" because they illustrate Biblical stories in a way that people who couldn't read can understand them.) We climbed the tallest tower and had a fantastic look at the countryside. After shopping for the region's premiere wine (of which I brought home two bottles) we headed back to Florence.
The afternoon in Florence was spent climbing the Duomo (like we hadn't climbed enough already?) The dome is 463 steps high and you get a view of the inside painted dome as well as an open view from the very top. It isn't a place you want to be if you don't like tight spaces. Much of the climb was stone spiral staircases, down tight one-way only corridors, and up metal ladders. The view was worth the effort, thought, and I got some great pictures.
If my feet were hurting the day before, they really hurt today! But I wanted to see the real statue of David in one of the art galleries. The line was so long that we decided to go to a cafe and enjoy a bottle of wine first. After that, the line was much shorter and we got to see the treasures of the Accademia Museum. David is, well, wow! The replica in the square wasn't the same as seeing the real thing. Maybe it was the marble, or maybe it was knowing that a master carved him, but he was really imposing. We also got to see several statues that Michaelangelo never completed. The rest of the gallery was disappointing (mostly pre-renaissance work) but since we didn't have much time before closing time, I wasn't disappointed that we didn't get to see everything.
Dinner was lovely- pork and pasta (with ham sauce?) and a salad. Too much walking and tower-climbing made me go to bed pretty early. (After I soaked my aching feet in warm water in the bidet! I could just picture Kat and Dai laughing at me for using it the wrong way!)
This is great stuff although I didn't get a "Day Three".
ReplyDeleteThis is great stuff although I didn't get a "Day Three".
ReplyDeletehow fantastic! the day sounds fabulous and then to see the statues too! Stopping for wine was a great idea... I remember seeing the Pieta at the Worlds Fair once, the marble was magnificent, so I can just imagine how you felt.....
ReplyDeletethe feet in the bidet? that would have been picture worthy... lol....
All that walking does hurt the feet! I'm thrilled you are having so much fun!
ReplyDeleteROFL! Hey, if it works, it works! lol!
ReplyDeletehttp://thais.it/scultura/default.htm
I thought you might like that link. It's one of my favorites.
Awesome! Michaelangelo was so talented!
ReplyDeleteGreg, you know that but to see it up close just hammers it home. There's a difference- an intangible "something" that his works have that nothing else has.
ReplyDeleteHahaha that's great. Yes I am laughing here now.
ReplyDeleteThat view is spectacular and sounds very much like climbing the monument here in Indy or any light house tower.
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine how lovely the wine is!
The wine is lovely. They don't categorize it there like we do here- merlot, chardonnay.... it is by vine and location, so you might get a vecchio from San Gimignano!
ReplyDeleteAnd the gelato is awesome- cream, sugar, and whatever ingredient is added for the flavor- fresh strawberries, cherries, chocolate, etc.
wow the only Tuscany I know of are Italian Restaurant names
ReplyDeleteROTFLMBO That cracked me up too. Feet aren't exactly what I think of when I think of using a bidet. LOL That was a great idea though. Wish I had one now, my feet are killing me from going up and down the front steps all day and from standing around talking to the yard sale customers.
ReplyDeleteHa! That's a great use for a bidet, and what a gorgeous photo up top!
ReplyDeleteI had to climb a tower to get that shot, Kippy! Made me understand Rapunzel a little better- she used her hair so she didn't have to use the stairs all the time!
ReplyDelete*LAUGH* Start growin', Janeen.
ReplyDelete(p.s. - It was worth the climb) ;)
ReplyDeleteYes it was... so much we climbed another tower that afternoon. Note: limit yourself to one tower a day.
ReplyDelete*laughing* Good to keep in mind!
ReplyDelete