I know this is late. Very late. So late I almost considered
not writing it, but it would be a crime if these memories were lost forever
with the advent of time. Our trip to Italy in November was 4 days, and after
writing about the first 3 I ran out of time. We were preparing to return to the
states for Christmas, so I was working on what I call the travel document. This
is a 200 page behemoth guide of places Joe and I are interested in seeing in
Europe, and serves as a baseline guide for people coming out to visit. I wanted
it to be ready for perusal by the parents. It’s a miracle that it was even
finished too because my computer died a few weeks before our US departure. I
had to use my husband’s computer, and when it comes to electronics, he isn’t
the best of sharers. But that only takes us to Christmas. Our US trip was a
whirlwind of visits with friends and family. There wasn’t much quiet time to
sit, think, and churn out stories about our trips. And finally, we returned to
Germany, where I started planning everyone’s trips. As I used my wonderful
travel document to schedule these trips I was plagued with a nagging feeling of
guilt. I had unfinished business in the blogosphere, and I was ignoring it. So
here it is, almost three months after experiencing it; our last day in Italy.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Where the Bodies are Buried . . . Or Not
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| Not Photoshopped, Just Awesome Timing Basilica di Santa Croce, Florence, Italy |
Our final sight in Florence was the Basilica di Santa Croce,
or Holy Cross Basilica. The draw of this church was the vast quantity of
influential Florentines buried inside. There are monuments to Dante, Galileo,
Machiavelli, and Michelangelo to name a few. But wait, monuments aren’t bodies.
Dante has large detailed monuments both inside and outside the church, but he
is actually buried in Ravenna. Dante was in exile when he died, so he wasn’t
buried in his home city. Florence seems to have realized its mistake in exiling
Dante though, because they tried numerous times to retrieve his remains. However,
Ravenna went to great lengths to protect them, even hiding them at one point.
Eventually Florence gave up this pursuit, but built Dante a tomb anyway. It’s
empty and probably always will be.
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| Dante, the one that got away |
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| It's all a LIE! |
Side note
about exiling: the first time I read Romeo
and Juliet I thought it was really strange that they banished Romeo, and
that he was losing his mind over. I thought to myself, who banishes someone? Really?
Banished? But apparently, there is historical evidence of this actually
happening. If Dante were ever to return to Florence, he would have been burnt
at the stake. Also, when he was exiled, all his assets were seized, so it may
have been difficult to start a new life. Still, exiling and banishment are
interesting punishments. I wonder why they didn’t survive.
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| . . . but we all know who the Golden Child is. |
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| Yeah, Machiavelli was all right . . . . |
Back to Santa Croce, and their monuments . . . Florence clearly used these monuments to display the perceived importance of the deceased. Comparing Michelangelo to Machiavelli leaves poor Niccolo looking like a red headed step child.
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| Don't get burnt |
Also scattered around the basilica are seemingly unmarked tombs in the floor. These have been here for centuries and their words have been rubbed off by countless generations of careless feet. Personally, I try not to walk on any graves (inside or out) because I was taught that doing so would be disrespectful. Attempting this in Santa Croce was like playing “the floor is lava” game. Several times we ended up boxed in and had to retrace our steps.
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| The Cloisters |
In addition to the tombs and monuments the church is adorned with art from many of the masters, including the purple turtle namesake, Donatello. Outside and immediately adjacent to the basilica are the former cloisters of the monks. These walkways still retain the peace and serenity of their previous intention. Sitting there among the columned park was a lovely way to wind down and meditate on a hectic day Florence.
Useful Links
Photos from our Trip!
Santa Croce Basilica
Florence City Card We weren't in the city long enough to get full use out of the card, but if you are staying more than a few hours, city cards are usually worth buying
Friday, December 7, 2012
The (On) Foot Clan
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| It was too big to fit into a single photo, so I spliced 6 together to achieve the Firenze Duomo Facade |
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| Interior of Brunelleschi's Dome |
Next stop after the Duomo was the Uffizi museum. Just a reminder, tickets for the Uffizi, like the Galleria, are best purchased ahead of time. The Uffizi
building was commissioned by the first Medici, Cosimo I, to house the offices
(Uffizi) of the government. Comsimo’s successor, Francesco I began using the passageways
in the newly finished Uffizi as areas to house ancient sculpture. He also
commissioned the Tribuna, a domed room in the midst of the Uffizi to house the
Medici treasures. When we visited, much of the first floor was under
construction to expand the gallery. This gallery is colossal in size and scope.
So many artists are displayed here in the labyrinth of rooms. Like the
Galleria, the Uffizi does not allow picture taking, but they too have a virtual
tour of the exhibits online. There is an entire room of Boticelli, with many
familiar paintings. It’s always wonderful to see in real life the paintings you’ve
only seen previously in books. We saw works of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti, and Rafaello.
Donatello kept guard outside, rounding out all the turtles. We were ready to
take on any members of the Foot who dared to challenge us. None did. I guess
there is too much namesake influence for them to gain a stronghold in Florence.
Exiting the Uffizi led us back into Piazza della Signoria with its Loggia dei Lanzi. In front of the Palazzo Vecchio, or town hall, is the 4th David statue of the trip; this is where the original stood. One side of the square is taken up by the Loggia, a pavilion housing sculpture and previously used for state ceremonies. There is also a fountain of Neptune on the other side of the square. The whole area is like a public, outdoor, sculpture gallery. We enjoyed passing by the fountain of Neptune on our way to the Basilica di Santa Croce, or Holy Cross Cathedral.
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| David #4 Outside the Palazzo Vecchio |
Useful Links
Photos from our Trip!
Uffizi Gallery
Piazza della Signoria This site has lots of information about many sights in Florence
Duomo Cathedral Museum
Duomo di Santa Maria del Fiore Website If you leave this site in its original Italian and let google translate it for you, there will be more information provided
Florence City Card We weren't in the city long enough to get full use out of the card, but if you are staying more than a few hours, city cards are usually worth buying
Galleria dell’ Academia or David's Home
Let me just say that the real David lived up to the hype. It
truly is a masterpiece carved flawlessly out of a single piece of Carrara marble.
This statue is truly awe inspiring, and it was as imagined, unlike the Mona
Lisa. Before Michelangelo got a hold of it, the block of marble was sitting in
a field, destiny unfulfilled, partially carved and abandoned by Agostina di
Duccio. At age 26, Michelangelo began the project, and he finished two years
later. When completed, the statue was established in the Piazza della Signoria
outside the Palazzo Vecchio. David remained in this square for 369 years before
being relocated indoors to the Galleria dell’ Academia, where it rests today. Our
second David sighting in Florence.
David stands on an elevated plinth, so the crowd of people
around his feet was not actually part of the viewing experience once you lifted
your eyes. He holds court at the end of a long hallway lined with other works
by Michelangelo that appear unfinished. These are called the prisoners, as they
have not yet been liberated from the marble. They almost look as though they
are being put into the stone, not being drawn from it. Think Han Solo in the carbonite. I found these captives more beautiful in a way. Each stroke of the chisel is
evident, and the David seems more glorious once you have considered the works
in progress. Unfortunately, the Florence museums have a no photographs policy,
so we were unable to capture permanently the beauty before us. Perhaps they
should institute a photography permit like Prague Castle. As one of the guys in
our group pointed out, David sat outside for hundreds of years; photos probably
aren’t going to hurt him. Luckily, for everyone not in the planning stages of a
Florence vacation, the museums have virtual tours, allowing distant visitors to
see the artwork for themselves. On our way out of the museum we passed through
a gift shop with a courtyard. In the courtyard was the 3rd David of
the day. This one was more modern, and painted. The body was pink, and all the
hair was blonde. The carpet matched the drapes, if you take my meaning. It was
quite a sight.
After basking in all the glory that is David, we decided to grab some lunch. Passing observation,
Italians eat lunch much later than
Americans do. After having breakfast at 6-7am, come noon, we are ready for some
lunch, but in Italy, they tend not to eat until 1 or 2pm. When on a tour with a
guide, this makes those last hours tortuous as you stomach rumbles every time
you pass a café, but when alone, you can eat lunch a little early, which we
did. We had wandered into Piazza della Repubblica, and now all we had to do was
settle on a venue. I was in the mood for some aglio e olio. As Joe pointed out,
this is peasant food, and we would be unlikely to find a place that would serve
it to us. We did however find one, and the maître de was very enthusiastic
about our decision to eat at his restaurant. Apparently all the maître des have
contests to see who can draw in the most business, and at noon on Friday, he
won. We sat outside and had a lovely view of the square around us. We had a
nice glass of Pinot Grigio and, as expected, delicious pasta. Unknown to us at
the time, this square was the site of the old Roman forum. It was also home to
a ghetto before being restructured during the same risanamento, or rebirth, that brought to life the Piazzale de
Michelangelo. It was during this time that an arch was added to the square in
the French tradition. The demolition of the Piazza during the rebirth was
highly controversial, and many felt that in doing so, Florence was abandoning its
roots.
Useful Links!
Florence City Card We weren't in the city long enough to get full use out of the card, but if you are staying more than a few hours, city cards are usually worth buying
Florence City of Art
The list in the binder for Florence was very long. As usual
we would not be able to do everything on the list. We narrowed it down to 5
things, and we knew even that would be a stretch. There are tons of museums in Florence—Gucci,
Galileo, Dante, Cathedrals, Medici, Uffizi, and the Galleria dell' Academia. We
selected the Galleria to see the David and the Uffizi to see every artist ever
(or so it seemed). Also on our list were the Basilica di Santa Croce, the
Duomo, and the Ponte Vecchio.
The biggest obstacles we faced in completing our list were
the museums, as we didn’t have advance tickets. I’d read “horror” stories about
people waiting in line for hours to get in, and I had memories of that line we jumped at the Louvre. I wanted to buy advance tickets, but we were on a scheduled group tour, and I
was unsure how much free time we would have, and where it would fall in the
course of the day. Even though we
didn’t book advance tickets, every travel site recommends buying before you arrive. There are
lots of websites claiming to sell tickets in advance and offering deals to get
your purchase. Ignore them. There is only one official museum site and only tickets sold by them will be accepted. There will be a booking fee of
€4 for using the online service. Now, it’s possible the tickets bought from
other online retailers will work, but I don’t think it’s work the risk. If they
don’t work you’ll have spent money on
a fraudulent ticket, and you’ll have
to wait in a long line to get a legitimate one. That said, the day we showed up
there was no line at the Galleria. We walked right in. This is a rarity, and I
believe it occurred because we were traveling in the off-season, and over
Thanksgiving. The Italians may not celebrate it, but all the Americans do, and
therefore fewer will be traveling that week in November.
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| View of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo |
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| The First David we Encountered |
When we seized the opportunity to see
the David, we opted to leave our tour group and guide behind. We had just
picked her up an hour before, right after arriving in Florence. During the
brief time we spent with her, she seemed knowledgeable and friendly. In fact,
she encouraged those of us who wanted to see the David to break with the group
immediately, because no lines never
happens. Her first act of guidance was to direct the bus back across the
river from the city and up a hill to the Piazzale Michelangelo, where we could
see the entirety of the city laid out below us. The Piazzale Michelangelo is
park atop the hill, built in the late 19th century during Florence’s
“rebirth” and it offers panoramic views of the city, as well as reproductions
of some of Michelangelo’s works. Here we saw our first David of the day. He was
a 15 foot tall, naked, green (due to the Patina on the bronze) replica. We didn’t
know it at the time, but tall, naked men were to become the theme of our day.
The prevalence of nudity in Florence
is actually a topic we discussed at length over dinner, with other members of
our tour group. If, in the present day, you were to have a statue commissioned of
a naked man, Biblical or otherwise, would a city display it prominently? Most
US cities have generals on horseback around town, but I don’t remember too many
guys in the buff. Furthermore, what would people say if you put such a statue
in your home or place of business? It is interesting to observe how times have
changed, and to wonder where the line is. What is a masterpiece and what is
crass?
Useful Links!
Online Ticketing for Museums of Florence
Florence City Card We weren't in the city long enough to get full use out of the card, but if you are staying more than a few hours, city cards are usually worth buying
Florence City Card We weren't in the city long enough to get full use out of the card, but if you are staying more than a few hours, city cards are usually worth buying
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Inside the Castle Mount
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| Prince Carlo's Shield |
After a near vertical climb up a final hill, we reached the
town of Montecarlo. Montecarlo means Carlo’s mount. The fortress is built into
the side of the hill and was commissioned by Prince Carlo IV before he became
Holy Roman Emperor. Carlo’s shield is on the fortress, but it lacks a crown
because at the time, he was not yet King. At the time, it was common to
translate the names of the leaders. Therefore, the man is Prince Carlo in
Italian, Karl in German, Karel in Czech, Charles in English, Carlos in Spanish,
and Carl in French. Family trees can become confusing easily with all the
intermarriages, translations, and successors. We found it interesting that man
so famous in Prague had roots in rural Italy. In Prague, Charles lends his name
to many monuments, including the Charles Bridge, connecting the two parts of
the city. He also spearheaded the construction of Prague Castle and the St.
Vitus Cathedral.
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| Montecarlo Fortress |
Inside we received a tour of the fortress by the owner
himself, a former Nato employee, and now retired Admiral, Walter. How does one
come to own a castle fortress? Well around the turn of the 20th
century, Walter’s, wife’s grandfather purchased it with the intent to restore
it to its former glory. The renovations are ongoing, and funds from visitors
help to purchase authentic, period materials. Walter related to us a story of a
particularly interesting renovation. He was chiseling away a concrete wall
because it was dilapidated and needed to be rebuilt, when he heard a hollow
sound beneath his chisel. He continued to hammer away until he found a space
behind the wall. It was an area for housing guns, with a hole in the outer wall
for shooting. The hole had a small panel over it, and it was closed. He removed
the panel and then found himself in his neighbor’s bedroom! When that gun hole
had originally been built, the house next door was only one story, and the guns
would be fired over the house.
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| Courtyard inside the Montecarlo Fortress |
The fortress is actually composed of two sections, a more
ancient one, and a modern one. The modern section was completed in the 1500s,
so I use the word modern here a bit loosely. The fortress and gardens are very
beautiful, and it’s easy to believe that people would want to use the area as a
wedding venue. We were also able to climb the towers and walk the ramparts of
the fortress, affording us an excellent view of the town of Montecarlo and the
surrounding Tuscan valleys. Walter was an amiable guide, and the love he feels
for his home is evident. In one of the rooms he sells small souvenirs, such as
little recipe books and paintings. I bought the only 3 books in English, and am
now the proud owner of The Use of Garlic
in Tuscan Cookery, A Taste of Tuscany,
and Cooking with Olive Oil. These
books are small, about 4 by 6 inches, and contain not only recipes, but also
information about the area and the ingredients. At €4.50 each, they were a
steal, and now I can cook authentic meals at home.
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| Montecarlo Wine |
After our tour of the fortress ended, we walked to a nearby
farm for lunch. This farm really specialized in a single crop, grapes. Yes,
Fattoria Torre was a vineyard, and we participated in a wine tasting during our
meal. We were supposed to tour the farm before lunch, but we arrived well after
2 o’clock, and as we were behind schedule, we had to skip the tour of the
vineyards, and dive right into the delicious food. The meal was multi-coursed,
starting with hors d’oeurves of olives, breads, and sliced meat and cheeses. We
were served 3 pours of wine, and then received our pasta entrée. Following
this, we received a round of dessert wine. This wine was very strong, like any
after dinner drink. They served it with anise biscotti, and indicated that we
should dip it in the wine. I preferred to sip it instead, as I felt that the biscotti
weren’t imbibed with as much flavor. The meal and drinks were very satisfying,
and when we finished our meal, we were able to buy the wines we had
experienced.
Useful Links!
Italy Pictures
Montecarlo Fortress
Fattoria Torre
Prague Pictures
Prague Castle
Useful Links!
Italy Pictures
Montecarlo Fortress
Fattoria Torre
Prague Pictures
Prague Castle
Hiking to Montecarlo
Montecarlo is a community close to the city of Lucca and to
our hotel. It should not be confused with the gambling haven in Monaco, France.
If you google Montecarlo, Italy, the internet will inform you that Montecarlo
is a commune. This does not mean commune the way it does in English; something
is lost in translation. The village has a walled fortress as one of its
attractions, and it was to there our guide led us.
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| Friendly Farmer Harvesting Olives |
As you can probably infer from the name, Montecarlo is a
hilltop community, so most of our 6km hike was uphill. We left the hotel,
jumped a chain on a blocked off road, and proceeded through the woods toward
our destination.
Along the way, we passed several olive groves in the midst
of being harvested by the local farmers. Each tree is handpicked by farmers on
step ladders, and for the best tasting oil, they must be pressed with 3 days
after harvest. But I will explore all the intricacies of olive farming later. However,
it is important to note there were many piles of olive boughs piled up along
the trail. I picked up and olive branch and extended it to Joe, but he took it
and smacked me with it. Not quite the peaceful proceeding it was supposed to
be.
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| The Hanging Tree |
We also came upon a gigantic oak tree. It’s several hundred
years old, and the branches are so heavy that they must be supported by posts. This
tree also has a claim to fame as the hanging tree in Pinocchio and as a hanging
tree for witches. If you find yourself confused by this reference, that’s ok, I
was too. Apparently, in the orginial text of Pinocchio a Cat and a Fox hang
Pinocchio after they rob him, but he won’t die because he is a marionette. I
thought the Disney version was a little racy, but from what I can glean, the
original is worse. My dislike of Pinocchio aside, it was cool to visit the town
of his origin.
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| Terraced Olive Valley |
Our guide was excellent, and he pointed out typical Italian
plant life during the hike. In addition to the olive groves we also encountered
Cyprus trees and pine nut trees. The latter look just like normal pine trees,
but they are the bearers of the delicious pine nut, harvested from the pine
cones. Unfortunately, we couldn’t see any nuts in the cones because it was past
the prime harvest time of late summer. We
also encountered a tree laden with orange fruits. We mistakenly thought they
were peaches, but our guide said no, this tree bears the kaki fruit. Never
heard of kaki? How about persimmon? When ripe, this variety of fruit has an
inside like pudding, and can be eaten with a spoon. We didn’t get to try any
though.
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