Florence

Wow! Every day is awesome here. Yesterday we went to Florence. We left at 6:15 to go to café dragon near the CF train station. We loaded up on cappuccinos, pastries, and fruit and made our train. We started at Piazzale Michelangelo, which has an incredible view of the whole city then went to our first basilica, San Miniato. Michael’s class focuses on ornamentation, so we talked about much of the geometric, stone ornamentation on the church and Ann walked around and explained the history of the building and technique of frescos. One of my favorite things about coming with the art group is that everyone enjoys observing. We stood in the side chapel for 45 minutes and looked and talked about the frescos and sculpture. No one in Learn Tuscany has any rush when it comes to art. We then took a long walk through the old city, across the Ponte Veccio, and to Orsanmichelle, a church where we couldn’t talk. So, I listened to Ann’s podcast and drew. It is dedicated to Florentine guilds and received major funding after a plague because the Florentines wanted to thank Mary for saving them. We breaked for lunch and some friends and I went to a café that had a 13-euro special for students with prosciutto, pizza, and desert. I also ordered the table a bottle of wine. It was so much fun and we spent our two hours laughing and eating. We then went to the Duomo and saw Brunelleschi’s doors (although the gates of paradise are copies). It’s so cool to me that craft never dies. He used low relief, high relief, etching, and a combination of the three in the doors to give perspective. They took him most of his life. We then talked about the exterior of the Duomo including the dome and the baptistery with Donatello’s statues, then took a shopping break. Coco and I went shopping near the train station and found the cutest store with a really sweet mom and daughter from New York. She bought a dress and I loved a purse that I might buy later. We headed back on the train totally exhausted. We had dinner at SC then rested in our rooms. Most of our group and the A&M group ended the night at a party that one of the local bars threw for us with view of most of CF and the vineyards. I got to meet some A&M people, and learned many new things about my group (tattoos, a husband, and an online relationship). I feel like we’re coming together and love talking to everyone. Today, Sunday, we have a free day. I plan to spend it reading, drawing, and relaxing outside. What a perfect combination. Sadly, I’ve had problems uploading pictures from my camera, so I’m having to share my phone ones for now.

Fun Italian fact of the day: here, the hook ‘em horns hand means “your wife is cheating on you” and is extremely offensive. Hand signs and body language go a long way here, so no hook ‘em horns from me for the next six weeks.

I read this in the train going to Florence:

Ecclesiastes 8:15 “And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.” I am very thankful to have this time of joy with only the task of looking at the most beautiful art, drawing in one of the most peaceful cities, and eating some of the best food.