Pittsburghers in Firenze (Florence 'n at)
A long, jammed flight to Paris. Uneventful except for the catllecar feel. Fortunately modern pharmacopoeia allows for sleep most of that leg of the journey. Disembarking on a remote tarmac and I am separated from my friends and not allowed to get onto the packed tram. They pull away for a distant terminal and I am left standing on the bottom step of the airplane stairs staring pathetically in disbelief. Eventually we meet and scramble to find our connecting flight.
We have a six hour layover, yet and earlier flight is found. Only two seats. Who should go, who should stay and wait? Andrea and Kathleen take the earlier flight in hopes of getting the rental car situated and facilitate our meeting up and hitting the ground running. Sounds like a seamless plan, except their luggage doesn't make it on the earlier flight. They must wait until everyone on the flight has their luggage and fill out the forms. Still ahead of schedule they get the car, figure out the GPS (no small feat) and plan to proceed to the hotel. Only then do they realize that Kathleen's treasured Ariat Rolex jacket was left at the airport. The car rental is 2 minutes from the airport, yet 20 minutes later they find their way back and retrieve the jacket. Eventually we all meet up at the Hotel Europa on Via Cavore across from the Riccardi Medici Palazzo. It is a small but quaint hotel with very friendly, English speaking staff.
Shannon and I walk into our shared room and open the shuttered window to find a spectacular view of the Duomo!
Our tired yet hardy band gather and set out with map in hand to explore the immediate area. Since we are centrally located dahntahn 'n at it's easy to walk to the sites we want to see. It is late afternoon local time and it seems like we've been travelling and connecting forever. Immediately the shopping opportunities are evident. Shops and stalls are everywhere. We find a small restaurant for our first official Italian meal, which is fabulous. I have vegetarian tagliatelle with carrots and zucchini. Crusty bread, olive oil and wine! Time for sleep as the next day and are filled with museums and shopping!
Off to the Uffizzi bright and early Saturday morning. The Uffizzi museum was begun by Giorgio Vasari in 1560 for Cosimo I de'Medici as government "Uffizze" (offices). The last Medici heiress provided that the Uffizzi was to be a museum and has been open to visitors since the 16th century. Since 1765 it has been open to the public. It is a vast and overwhelming collection of some the world's greatest works of art and thanks to our resident professor Andrea we were able better understand what we were seeing and its significance.
I won't pretend that able to remember everything but in short what I remember is the following: Gothic religious images for churches were basically created on a "flat" plane. Pre Renaissance artists started to add layers to the images. Renaissance paintings showed depth and often a landscape horizon. For the first time individuals had enough money to commission paintings of themselves or paintings for their own viewing pleasure. Mannerism was characterized by exaggerated necks and fingers. Ancient sculptures lacked muscle detail, were straight up and down and faces lacked expression. Renaissance sculpture introduced muscle and facial detail and "Contrapasto" positioning. Not much but how'd I do Andrea? Hope you are not too embarrassed by my lack of knowledge but I did try to listen and learn. Thank you so much for sharing - it made the museum so much more interesting!! The views from the upper level of the building were spectacular. What a place to have worked. We leave the museum and head of for shopping, shopping, shopping with a couple churches thrown in the middle. Who will forget Sam the Israeli salesman who sold 2 jackets and 2 purses that day. What a salesman! He should teach seminars on salesmanship. No wonder he wintered in Florida. Then walking along with maps in hand and obviously speaking "American" we are stopped for directions by two travellers from, where else? Pittsburgh! In typical Pittsburgh tradition they tell us of a Steeler bar they found in Rome. Andrea and Shannon take off and climb to the top of the Duomo - earning their pizza, gelati and dinner in Fiosole.
Saturday evening we have a reservation at a wonderful hilltop restaurant in Fiosole, overlooking Florence (Firenze). If only there was a picture of six adults piling into a small four person Fiat. What a site!
Up the steep and narrow hill to the beautiful peak and a terrific meal that awaits us. The views breathtaking and something that you read about but never think you'll see. We are awed by the views and the millenia of people who have stood there before. So before continuing to wax poetic you must remember who is writing this account and of course something has to happen to bring it home and make it real. So the evening must end with a final pee break before heading back down the mountain smashed together in the Fiat like a circus act. There is one unisex bathroom and we vow to watch the door for each other. Well, I'm last and just as I'm making the final pantyhose adjustments up over the butt, the door opens and I spin around only to look UP to a large bearded man! Must have been a sight because he beat feet like a scared little girl. Moon over Fiosole. Maybe they are still talking about it. You can take the girl out of Pittsburgh but you can't take the Pittsburgh outta the girl. 
After a good night's sleep we are again up and out early - this time off to dell'Academia and David! Everyone has seen pictures of the sculpture but nothing prepares you for the power of it when you turn the bend to enter the gallery and you see him illuminated under the dome at the end of the gallery. Then to walk along Michelangelo's prisoners that line the aisle up to meet his masterpiece is indescribable.
