Today we set off to score a few more brownie points in the Tourist Stakes.
By complete happenstance the Hotel Panorama, our current abode, is almost on the Piazza San Marco and consequently next door to the Galleria Academica, which houses Michaelangelo's David.
After breakfast on the 4th Floor, overlooking the Duomo and the city of Florence, we set off (slowly) to beat the crowds as David is very popular.
The Academy was originally, in the 16th century, a school of the arts. Many students who became famous painters attended and it had a music department as well. There were the usual endless versions of Madonna and child ( including a very beautiful Botticelli) , and lots of superb golden triptychs (too much of a good thing!) but there was also some very old musical instruments. Two Stradivarius instruments - one a completely intact violin, and one a tenor viola - from the mid-16th century were on display. There was also a Plaster cast room of many sculptures and a demonstration video of how the original plaster statues are converted into large marble pieces. Very interesting.
And of course, there was the ENORMOUS ( in every sense of the word) David himself. He is very impressive and beautifully sculpted, but I'm sure his hands are too big and not in proportion to his body. Anyway how would I know anything, having never been a sculptor of any sorts ( I don't think pottery at OT school counts!)
Then we headed for the Museo San Marco which turned out to be an old convent or monastery with lovely green cloisters and more pictures of Jesus on the cross than I have ever seen in my life! Every monk's cell had the same frescoe of Jesus painted on the wall with some slight change to make it different to the one next door, but all of them with lots of dripping blood!
Ewan decided it was time to ice his sore foot so I headed off shopping on my own ( Yes!!!! Oops: I mean how sad for him). I spent a couple of hours perusing the markets and inhaling the smell of leather before buying a few purchases.
After lunch with Ewan (I couldn't desert him completely!) he headed off for the laundromat ( all he had to do was sit after all!) and I headed off for the Pitti Palazzo. That meant contending with the crowds around the Ponte Vecchio again. It seems to me there's thousands of tourists but not so many buyers of the gold jewellery on offer.
The Pitti Palace was the 16th Century palace of Cosimo Medici and his wife, and it would be fair to say that they went for quantity, in preference to quality - although the interiors were lovely. It's just huge and made from enormous blocks of stone: a very substantial palace from the outside.
There was a costume museum with lots of dresses and accessories from the last couple of centuries. The curators had assembled showcases of Haute couture gowns from the last few decades which I found fascinating. Also displayed in very dark rooms were the clothes that Cosimo, his wife and son were buried in. They died around the mid 16th century so the fabric was very fragile and the darkness designed to preserve what was left. Amazing!
Then I wandered around the exquisite Borbolino Gardens surrounding the palace. It was quite hilly but the gardens had topiary, a lemon grove, fountains, extensive lawns and pathways. Very relaxing on a hot day.
In order to revive myself for the walk home I needed another gelato of course. One a day is acceptable surely!
Florence is certainly a very civilised calm clean city, despite the throngs of tourists. Most of the central area is pedestrian access only and all of the 'things to see' are located in one district so walking is the way to go. My one attempt at using the bus today ended up with me going in the wrong direction completely: much better to go on foot!
After a delicious dinner in one of the piazzas at a very trendy place called Za Za's it's off to bed and then off to Lucca in the morning.
your on the move traveller
Dianne
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