Florence - 5.2.2010

The lovely smell of Florence, I will never forget. It would come and go in certain areas to remind me where I was, which was easy to get confused when almost everyone in the streets were speaking English. The one thing I did not expect was how many American students there would be studying in Florence, definitely a downside. Seeing the Baptistry and the Duomo together with my own eyes was awe inspiring. The scale was again magnificent and difficult to judge detail when your so far away. Not being able to get to the alter created excitement and determination to come back and climb the Dome. Walking through the cold and rainy streets along rows upon rows of parked scooters ad mopeds to the Basilica of Santa Croce. Disappointment filled my glass when we got inside and the aps was covered in scaffolding tainting the experience. Later the Pazzi Chapel outside helped some disappointment leak out. The art there displayed was well done and detailed but not satisfying enough for my hungry stomach. I joined some friends for lunch and afterwards we got dessert at the chocolater fair. A football field size white tent filled with tables of chocolate, loads of chocolate. The sweet smell of chocolate enriched the artistic display and decorations on the chocolate. Listening to the excitement buzzing through my ears as I walked through the tent from table to table sipping a warm cup of melted chocolate was incredible almost heaven. I could only imagine what my chocoholic mother and sister would do, die and go to heaven. But heaven on Earth can't last forever so later I found myself walking abùmoung the streets full of street vendors selling lots of leather products, jewelry, and other soveigners. Not planning on spending any money when I set out for Florence I began to be overwhelmed with happiness as I tried on a soft, brown, nicely cut leather jacket. With a little convincing I was sold. Why not buy leather in a place that produces some of the worlds best leather, was how I rationalized the purchase. The perfect souveigner. I can't wait to wear it. At night a group of us went out for drinks at a bar we found out later was a bar full of American students, playing American music, and had American style shot specials. We enjoyed ourselves for awhile before we realized we were in Italy. A few of us decided we wanted to experience more Florence night life and found a dance club full of locals. We had a great time dancing the rest of the night away. In the morning some of us with enough energy left climbed the Dome. It was the perfect note to end on. Walking up the tight spiral stairs to the inside dome was a little disorienting then soon forgotten with the sight of the paintings on the dome. Large, detailed, mysterious, happy, evil, so much going on but with a line forming behind me I pressed on to the stairs between the two domes. These stairs were awkward and dark but once the sunlight shown through from above relief came across my face, the end with a spectacular view. As I emerged from the floor I could not believe I was on top of the dome. The little white knob I could see from below was not so little; I was walking around it. Some crazy second hand information I heard was that this white little detail on the top was in fact used to hold the dome together. Without it the dome would want to unfold and open up like a flower in the spring sun. I could see so far and clear to breaks in the roofs for streets cut through and empty flower pots waiting to overflow on roof terraces, clean clothes out on lines and so much more. You never realize the density or size of a city till you tower over it all. One day I will have to come back on a sunny day and climb the Campanile and see what the dome looks like from above at a distance.