In which Sid and Doris see less than they hoped and probably quite enough.
Things in Florence can be shut because it is August, it is Tuesday, the institution is being rebuilt or shut to you because it is already full of someone else (we had already ruled out the Uffizi and the Pitti Palace on those grounds).
Because I am always keen for you, our only but cherished reader. to improve yourself, I have included here a series of interesting and educational links to the institutions that we tried to visit but were shut. In the order we tried to visit them: Palazzo Vecchio, the Bargello, Michaelangelo’s house, the National Photographic Museum, the museum of Florence’s past history and the workshop of the Duomo.
Sid says that having experienced each of these perhaps the only visit he really regrets is the National Photographic Museum.
No matter, we did enjoy the visit to the house of Dante d’Alighieri, the 13th century soldier, politician and author of The Inferno. Otherwise we walked the city and were properly impressed. These families were powerful. The Medici held sway from 1400 to 1743, and in that time provided four Popes. Churches in Florence express the earthly powers of these families. We have no reports on how God rewarded them later though see ‘eye of a needle’.
For a change from Renaissance grandness we went to look for this Casa Michelazzi in Liberty Style, which equates to Art Nouveau, by Giovanni Michelazzi. Doris has worked out how to take the perspective off the photo so the roof looks the same width as the floor, which it is.
In the evening we cross the Arno and climb up to Michael Angelo square to see the view across town and to consider an entry for Conveyance of the Day. Because not everyone wants a big white camper van parked in front of their view.
On the way back we enjoy this grotto fountain built into the hill side. If any of you are thinking of having a fountain do note how the water falls off the basins in an even curtain.
Soon we will be going up into the hills so we take the opportunity to have beer and pizza as recommended by our hotel staff. They know their stuff, and we stuff.
PS On the subject of the benefits of Touring In The Time of Covid, here is the Ponte Vecchio as you very rarely see it – visible through the crowds of tourists.
