It's Father's Day! This is the first time I can remember not being with my kids on Father's Day. I'm really missing them after two and a half months away. They each live an hour from me in Buffalo, in opposite directions. I'm glad they both live reasonably nearby, but I don't get to see them nearly enough. They are outstanding young adults and they make me proud every day. My Dad turns ninety next month and lived nearby us until this past winter. He and Dorothy live in Philadelphia and I think are in Atlantic City this weekend; he's hard to keep track of!
Yesterday we crossed the Arno River on the Ponta Santa Trinita Bridge and walked to the Pitti Palace and the adjacent Boboli Gardens. We bought a combo ticket that allowed us to see both, though as we walked through the palace we realized the "economy" ticket only let us into the less interesting exhibits in the palace. We went through the Costume Gallery which is essentially six rooms of women's dresses from the 1920s through tthe 1990s. When we tried to enter the modern art gallery we were ushered out quickly. Next time we will pay closer attention to what we're getting when we buy our tickets! As we were leaving the museum, we did discover a gallery of sculptures and paintings on the main level that was quite interesting.
The Boboli Gardens are accessed from the rear of the palace. A series of steep steps lead to viewing points above a large lawn. We were able to see over the palace and across the red tile roofs of Florence to the hills of Tuscany beyond. The sky was bright and cloudless and the temperature was rising quickly, so we sought out the shady areas of the garden. Trails led through a forest and occasionally followed the high stone walls that surround the garden. We sat for awhile on a stone bench in a covered arbor in a quiet place. As much as I love visiting in cities, it's a relief to be surrounded by natural beauty again.
Before leaving the garden and palace, we explored the Grotto of Buontalenti which figure prominently in Dan Brown's Inferno. It is essentially an artificial cave, complete with stalagtites and fanciful creatures that emerge out of the walls and roof. Sculptures are centered in each of the three chambers of the grotto, and frescoes cover the vaulted ceilings. Natural light enters the largest room through an oculus at the top.
In the afternoon, we walked to the Duomo. Florence's 14th century cathedral is quite plain on the inside, but has an amazingly ornate exterior that was created in the late 1800s. The marble is white, red, and green to reflect the colors of the Italian flag. We paid the admission fee to climb to the top of the dome, which is the largest brick-constructed dome in the world. Climbing to the top of the Duomo was much like ascending the cupola at St. Peter's. The main difference is that the route to the top at St. Peter's was one-way, with a different stairway leading back down. In the Duomo, most of the narrow, winding, leaning stairways are two-way so we had to squeeze a lot to let others by. We got a great view of the interior of the cathedral from the base of the dome, and then climbed the final sets of stairs to the top. The view of Florence was outstanding.
Last evening we enjoyed dinner at a small, funky cafe known for its eclectic Tuscan fare and then wandered around the city center. I took photos of the Duomo as the sky darkened. We got some gelato for dessert (there is a gelateria on every corner and at least one on each block), watched a few street entertainers, and stood outside a church to hear part of an organ recital. Florence is a busy, creative place day and night!
Yesterday we crossed the Arno River on the Ponta Santa Trinita Bridge and walked to the Pitti Palace and the adjacent Boboli Gardens. We bought a combo ticket that allowed us to see both, though as we walked through the palace we realized the "economy" ticket only let us into the less interesting exhibits in the palace. We went through the Costume Gallery which is essentially six rooms of women's dresses from the 1920s through tthe 1990s. When we tried to enter the modern art gallery we were ushered out quickly. Next time we will pay closer attention to what we're getting when we buy our tickets! As we were leaving the museum, we did discover a gallery of sculptures and paintings on the main level that was quite interesting.
The Boboli Gardens are accessed from the rear of the palace. A series of steep steps lead to viewing points above a large lawn. We were able to see over the palace and across the red tile roofs of Florence to the hills of Tuscany beyond. The sky was bright and cloudless and the temperature was rising quickly, so we sought out the shady areas of the garden. Trails led through a forest and occasionally followed the high stone walls that surround the garden. We sat for awhile on a stone bench in a covered arbor in a quiet place. As much as I love visiting in cities, it's a relief to be surrounded by natural beauty again.
Before leaving the garden and palace, we explored the Grotto of Buontalenti which figure prominently in Dan Brown's Inferno. It is essentially an artificial cave, complete with stalagtites and fanciful creatures that emerge out of the walls and roof. Sculptures are centered in each of the three chambers of the grotto, and frescoes cover the vaulted ceilings. Natural light enters the largest room through an oculus at the top. 
In the afternoon, we walked to the Duomo. Florence's 14th century cathedral is quite plain on the inside, but has an amazingly ornate exterior that was created in the late 1800s. The marble is white, red, and green to reflect the colors of the Italian flag. We paid the admission fee to climb to the top of the dome, which is the largest brick-constructed dome in the world. Climbing to the top of the Duomo was much like ascending the cupola at St. Peter's. The main difference is that the route to the top at St. Peter's was one-way, with a different stairway leading back down. In the Duomo, most of the narrow, winding, leaning stairways are two-way so we had to squeeze a lot to let others by. We got a great view of the interior of the cathedral from the base of the dome, and then climbed the final sets of stairs to the top. The view of Florence was outstanding.
