21 Adventerous Days in Europe on a
Rick Steves Tour
Europe Bound!
Ciao Venice! Buon giorno Florence! I was sad to be leaving Venice but felt that I had done all I could to soak it up. We were on our way to Florence and I was ready for a different kind of Italian experience. The traveler in me was ready to fill up my art bucket.
Italy
Venice to Florence
May 14, 2013
Tour Day 10
Food
Travel Tip
I brought several packs of dissolvable vitamin c. I took one every few days. I don’t actually have any proof that it helped but I really felt that it kept my immunity up. Traveling in Europe can definitely take a toll with always being on the go, traveling from place to place, and sleep patterns being disrupted. It was nice to do something to take care of my immunity.
We arrived in Florence at about 1:30. One thing that is very nice about being with the tour is that every time we arrive in a city we are first oriented so that we don’t get lost. Reid described where our hotel was in connection to the Duomo. So in the future all we had to do was find the Duomo and then we could find our hotel.
Our time in Florence started with some free time. Mike and I had done some research before hand and knew that we wanted to go to the Bargello. On our way there we passed the Duomo. When I first saw the Duomo I was in awe. It has such a commanding presence.
The Bargello has a collection of art from many different artists including Michelangelo and Donatello. The art is held in what used to be a police station, and later a prison. Going to the Bargello was a great introduction to Florence as it had a variety of beautiful statues. It was the first time I really felt exposed to an array of statues and one thing I learned is that I love them! There is something so moving about seeing art carved into stone.
Later we met up with the group to visit the Accademia. When we arrived at the Accademia Reid gave us a preface about The David before we entered to see it. Then he let us loose. I still remember those moments so clearly. We walked towards the doorway, turned the corner, and saw The David at the end of the corridor. My instant impression was humility. I felt humbled that I had the chance to see this piece of art, humbled that I was there, and just felt like life was so much bigger than me. With each step closer I got a new perspective. Once I reached it I felt a sense of awe rush over me, and quiet literally got goose bumps.
A particularly special
Wow Moment
For the remainder of the time there I just stared at it actively trying to take it in; it was never enough.
What I find to be pretty interesting is how the Accademia chose to display their art. Leading up to The David are the Rough Hewn Prisoners but besides that there is no other art. In a room close to the David was a gallery crowded with statues. There is a pretty clear message about what is most important.
After seeing The David, Reid led us on the Renaissance Walk. He walked us through town telling us about the historical buildings and art we were passing. The main thing that stood out to me during that walk was how accessible art is. In the major square where we had stopped there was a courtyard with several huge statues in it. Florence just feels like an open air museum. Wherever you go there is something to be enjoyed.
After the walk we went to dinner as a group. For dessert there was a cart that they brought around and we could select what we wanted. I’m the type of person who prefers a little taste of everything, so naturally I was torn as I tried to pick. When the cart came to me I asked if I could have a small serving of a few little things. The waiter gave me a smile and served large portions of the desserts I requested and then some. Needless to say I was a little red, but also just a little happy.
For lunch we stopped at an autogrill which is equivalent to a rest stop but nicer. At the autogrill they actually had a lot of yummy lunch options. I had a speck, brie, and olive tapenade sandwich.
Dinner was one of the best European meals. We started with a three pasta plate with ravioli, penne, and gnocchi. The gnocchi was the best pasta I’ve ever had - it was delicious. Our main course was steak with olive oil, salt, pepper, and arugula. We also had a side of roasted potatoes with olive oil, salt, and rosemary, and of course dessert. Such a fulfilling meal.