La Bella 2017 : Florence Rest Day

Steeples and Spires, inglenook fires, once warm desires take my mind back through a maze of frolics and frays, we spent the days hearts entwined.

Early evening yesterday Ross was a little concerned that his pneumonia was not clearing up, so we decided to catch a taxi to the Santa Maria Annunziata Hospital about 15 klms from camp. As would be expected we were entered through general admission and waited in line. I brought with me a book and borrowed Garry's laptop and try to catch up on the Blog. About 1.00 am Ross was given the all clear, everything was okay and he was responding well to medication.

Arrived back at camp and all was dark and quiet. As Ross had not received his evening antibiotic injection, we decided to head to the shower block as they had good lighting. In the process of mixing the medication in solution and drawing up the medication through the needle into the syringe, I proceeded to inject Ross in the buttocks, and timing is everything in life, in walks a gentlemen who was cleaning his teeth etc. and I say "Ross do I insert this all the way or just partial?" "No all the way says Ross." Not sure what the visitor was thinking of or if he could speak English, but we completed the procedure and retired back to the tent with another tale to tell, slightly amused.

One of the most beautiful medieval cities in the world, this was our rest day so we are going to make the most of it. Catch a bus from camp into the city, grab a coffee and some breakfast prior to boarding.

Firenze (Florence) Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore

Baptistery of St John

Piazza del Duomo

Disembark onto the narrow streets full of movement and life. Stunning architecture all around. Opposite the main entrance to the cathedral is Baptistery of Saint John.

Queues were long to enter the cathedral, but entry for the tower and the dome had already been fully booked for the day.

Florence was the centre of European trade and finance and was one of the wealthiest cities in the Middle Ages. Also the birthplace of The Renaissance. Over this period it was ruled by the powerful Medici Family. Two members of the family were Popes, Catherine married Henry II of France and Marie married Henry IV of France. Wow! That's keeping hold of power and influence.

It had close connections to Julius Caesar as he founded it in 59 BC, and the Florentine dialect is regarded as the Italian Language. Today as well as tourism, trade and financial services, it is known for it's fashion.

Paul went to town on Francis, with purchases of expensive leather, perfume, clothing, trinkets etc. Shop till you drop Paul.

Palazzo Vecchio

It was hot, close to the middle of the day, so time for a cool ale and some food at the local Irish Pub in the Piazza della Signoria.

Burn Baby Burn, Palazzo Inferno.
Fascinating square where Dominican friar Girolamo Savonarola was burnt at the stake for being outspoken about immorality, attachment to riches, and against Pope Alexander VI. Well he did father several children, you paid a heavy price for heresy in those days.

Burnt at the stake right here in Palazzo Vecchio in 1498, no wonder I am feeling so hot. How Ya Feelin H...H...H

Loggia dei Lanzi

Two Squares within a Square

The tourists outnumber the local population between April and October (370K) and it looks that way as the streets are swarming. Weather is described as hot summers and cool damp winters. As it is inland they do not have prevailing winds, and humidity is high. Snow is not unusual most years but does not accumulate.

All the greats have been to this city, Paul, Garry, Peter, Ross, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, Donatello to name a few.

Replica of David

Many beautiful cafes piazza's and palaces throughout Firenze, such an important meeting place for poets, artists, writers etc. and you can see by your surroundings the fruits of what evolved from all those Lattes and pasta 500 years ago.

They say the value of tourism in 2015 amounted to over E 62 billion.

The original David stood on this spot in 1504 but was moved in the 1837

Uffizi Gallery

The Uffizi Gallery is home to Botticelli's famous Venus.

Did you know Roberto Cavalli is credited with creating the sand blasted look for jeans, not Levi's. He is a famous Italian designer, the Five Amici's know this because, well, you know we are snappy dressers (see photo above of two squares). Gucci and Pucci was founded in Florence, I knew that. Thanks Google shhh!

Beautiful Lanes

Chianti Wine

Giotto's Campanile bell tower beside Florence Cathedral (in Piazza del Duomo) is impressive although can't go up today all tickets sold (10.00am)

The Marble in this cathedral is similar to Siena, stunning white green and red marble. The first stone of this magnificent cathedral was laid in 1296, but like all great structures progress was slow and evolved over many decades a this was cutting edge and sometimes untried construction. After 100 years the dome was still missing.

Brunelleschi had to overcome many technical problems as the use of Gothic buttresses was forbidden in Firenze. He looked towards the Pantheon in Rome for solutions. He decided to build the dome out of bricks due to it's lighter weight. The dome is octagonal, comprising of 37000 tons of material including 4 million bricks. I wonder is that where they get thick as a brick from.