Italy as it Happened...Day 7

Italy as it Happened...Day 7

Tuesday, April 16th

We slept in until 8:00 am; that is late for us. We had reservations today for the Galleria Degli Uffizi. We purchased them online 3 weeks before heading to Europe and we knew this would be one of the highlights of our Italian experience. Sure, we could have simply purchased our tickets on site, but that would have meant standing in those long lines, something neither Kerry nor I wanted to do.

As it worked out, we ended up standing in long lines all day anyways. Apparently there is a line for tickets (extremely long) and another line to enter once your tickets are purchased. There was no getting around it. Our "Pass the Line" pre-purchased passes did nothing for us other than give our money to the online booking service, weeks ahead of time. So we waited, first, to convert our computer voucher printout into actual tickets (45 minutes) and then we waited to enter the museum. We arrived on site at 9:45 am and at exactly 11:45 am we passed through the entrance into the museum. From what I hear, a 2 hour wait is nothing compared to peak tourist season, in the hot summer sun. When in Rome!

The crowds of people was never ending, a sea of rubber-necking heads could be seen in every direction with us stuck in the middle. Like cattle we followed the flow, going our own way every now and then, just to focus on what we wanted to see. We saw everything; every floor; every room; every master piece.

The best part about roaming a museum is that moment when you turn a corner and there it is right there before your eyes; a works that you recognize from those art classes you took so many years ago (the Birth of Venice painting comes to mind). Today we would have many of those experiences.

After the Uffizi we headed over to the Academia Galleria, famous for Michelangelo's statue of David. Once we arrived we were greeted by; you guessed it, a line, one that didn't seem to be moving at all. No matter, Kerry wanted to see the David and so I was going to stick it out, no matter how much I wanted to sit down. One and a half hours later we were entering the main galleria. I stood in awe at the feet of David, taking in each curve, the texture, tone and composition. What stands out (to me) was how immense his hands were. I took my time slowly walking around taking in every detail. I wasn't aware of where or how Kerry was handling the experience for my concentration was focused on that solid piece of marble, not those around me. Then I caught Kerry's eye as we approached each other. I could tell by her smile and the glow in her eyes that the long line and wait was worth it...she would gladly do it again.

We continued on taking in the rest of the exhibition, but it all was less impressive than David. He will forever be etched into our minds as one of the greatest art appreciation moments in either of our lives. Sadly, they do not allow cameras in this museum so if you want to see it for your self, you can either Google it or take a trip to Florence. Other museums were tolerant of photography (without using the flash).

Before heading back home for a rest and some lunch we stopped at another cathedral (Basilica de Saint Maria Novella). This was the first time we felt that the entrance fee (10 euro's) was not worth it. There are so many basilica's with free entrance that are covered by works of the masters. Paying for something less impressive was disappointing, to say the least.

After eating, we decided to rest and recharge our batteries for the upcoming night time wandering we would do around the Old City. Being connected to the world with WiFi, we used some of this down time to check on e-mails and Facebook. We also looked for reports on how things were going at home with Kerry's sister and her mom. No news! Kerry got nervous and I reassured her that no news was good news. Kerry's nerves got the best of her so an e-mail was sent asking for an update. Eventually a reply came stating that all was well on the home front. Now we can get back to our vacation.

We decided to eat at that restaurant around the corner from our place. Kerry had Veal Scaloppini with Artichoke while I had s Insalada de Pollo (which turned out to be a cold chicken salad mixture served with fresh bread. It was lite and that was what I was looking for. Kerry enjoyed her dish as well. Of course we shared each others food, just to expand the experience. A glass of Chianto helped rinse the palate, in a very wonderful way (1/2 litre for 3 euro's). Wine in Italy is less expensive than beer or soda. I drank water with gas.

My stomach was so full I swear it was about to burst. "Let's head into town and walk this off," I pleaded. Kerry's reply was not to me but to the waiter. She said, "What do you recommend for dessert?" He listed off a few items with an emphasis on the house special; Grandmother's Pie. Kerry pondered for a second before saying, "I'll have a piece of Grandmothers Pie." 

It was a great piece of chocolate pie, enough for the both if us, although I could only muster the room and strength to take one bite (or was it two). This meal was the perfect way to say goodbye to Florence. 

We would walk off this feast around the neighborhood, one last time. We strolled up narrow streets, into parks and watched families watch their kids play. We even found a great grocery store and went inside to see what they had to offer. Yes, we even picked up a few things for the next leg of our journey. We were living the Italian life and we both found it to be just perfect.

Bella città, bellissima notte