April has been a month with weather changes: it got hot and sunny, then got cold again, then got rainy again, and is now warm and sunny again. The days are noticeably longer, every tree and plant is leafed out and in bloom, and all types of birds keep the air filled with song. We were blessed in April with visits from two sets of friends and spent a lot of time in Florence with them.
First in were Keena and Dave Kaufman, whom we visited and went skiing (chronicled in our post Austrian Ski Weekend). Living in Italy, they make occasional trips to Florence and showed us some of their favorite haunts. We started at the Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella. If you wonder why, with all the art and history in Florence, we started with a pharmacy, the answer is: it is WAY more than a CVS. For one thing, it may be the world's oldest pharmacy. It was started in 1221 by Dominican friars who made herbal remedies for their monastery, and was opened to the public in 1612. The decor is as elaborate as many of the churches we have seen. Besides getting a prescription filled, you can buy old-time elixirs and their own perfumes and colognes formulated hundreds of years ago.
Two of the early pharmicists from the 17th century; the plant room with orchids in bloom.
Next we went up to the Piazzale Michelangelo, an overlook on the south side of the River Arno.
At Piazzale Michelangelo with Keena and Dave, with the Duomo in the background.
We walked down from the overlook to the Palazzo Pitti, enjoying the beauty of springtime.
Tulips; wisteria
Gary checks out an antique Cinquecento (Fiat 500); Carmen checks out a climbing rose.
Carmen and I had just finished reading Dan Brown's Inferno, which was also a favorite read of Keena's, and we were on a quest to follow the trail of the plot from the Boboli Gardens behind the Palazzo Pitti, across the Ponte Vecchio to the Palazzo Vecchio and finally to the Baptistry of San Giovanni. After the long walk down, we were all pretty tired but Keena and I lined up to get entrance tickets, which took at least 20 minutes. When we got back to where we left Carmen and Dave, we found them stretched out in the piazza, both sound asleep!
OK I got the tickets, should we wake them up?
And we did follow the plot. When we got to the map room in the Palazzo Vecchio, we asked the docent if there really was a secret passage behind the map of Armenia. He said yes there was, then opened it and showed us. He also told us that the film crew doing the movie of the book would be in Florence in May and would be filming on location there.
On the first full day of their visit, we set off to find a few new wineries in the vicinity of the town of Radda in the Chianti Classico region. Truly, there are so many wineries that we will have checked out only a small percentage before we leave Italy.
Stocked up with bottles of wine, we made plans for Florence. We opted to go to the Accademia, a relatively small museum, but with perhaps the most singular work of art in Florence: Michelangelo's statue of David. When I first saw it nine years ago, I got a chill down my spine. Part of the magic is the presentation: one comes around a corner and looks down a long hall to a domed atrium with David centered in natural light. Seeing it again, I got the same chill down my spine. I could never explain what elevates something to the level of art, but if you ask me for an example, I will say David is a masterpiece.
Invariably, our outings to Florence are punctuated by a wonderful dinner in a little trattoria, and this night was no exception. Our Florence experience is great art, great food, great wine, and great friends.
Gary & Carmen, it's been awhile but I really enjoyed reading and viewing your last few posts, especially of Rome, Venice, and Florence! Great pics and great commentary also. Tom W. is on the Rick Steves tour now around Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast and I know he'll be training north soon to visit you guys. Have fun! John T.
ReplyDeleteGrazie mille John! Yes, we are all set with Tom--will see him on Monday.
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