So Much More To See - Florence Day Two

"In every block of marble I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me,

shaped and perfect in attitude and action.

I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition

to reveal it to the other eyes as mine see it."

Michelangelo

Up bright and early for our full day in Florence, Mary, Paula and I hustled down the street to Nabucco, the little bar that serves tasty breakfasts to those who stay at the Florence Grand Tour.  Had delicious cappuccinos, omelettes and spinach pastry ... then hurried across the street to Sant'Apollonia to view the amazingly restored refectory Last Supper fresco by Andrea del Castagno (1450),  painted almost 50 years before Leonardo's famous Last Supper in Milan.

Andrea del Castagno''s Last Supper (1450)

Off to the Odeon Theater building in the heart of Florence to meet our terrific guide Martina for our Art Viva "Original Florence Walk" 3-hour walking tour.  Beginning at the Piazza Della Republica where the original Roman settlement began, to Orsanmichele, to the Palazzo Strozzi (with, for some reason, a giant slide installed in its center courtyard), to San Trinita and the Ponta Vecchio, Martina did a wonderful job explaining the history and traditions of Florence. The Arno River was especially calm and beautiful.

On to the Piazza Della Signoria (where I became temporarily lost from the tour group ... thank goodness texts with Paula allowed me to find them and continue the tour)!  Finally, Martina walked us to Florence's most important buildings:  The Duomo, Campanile & Baptistery.  We learned SO much and enjoyed this tour immensely ... but as soon as it concluded we hightailed it on foot to Piazza San Marco where we toured the Museo San Marco and saw the amazing Fra Angelico frescoes highly recommended by Mary's cousin as one of the BEST sights to see in Florence.  We agreed completely. Fra Angelico's Annunciation fresco at the top of the friary stairs is one of my most favorite paintings EVER.    Also saw another Last Supper fresco in the San Marco refectory by Ghirlandaio (late 15th c.)

Fra Angelico's Annunciation

Time for a quick lunch (Aranci - Sicilian rice balls - and yummy fruit salads) at the Gran Caffe on Piazza San Marco and then a taxi ride to Santa Croce (1385), the first Franciscan parish established in a large city. In that beautiful church, we saw the tombs of some of Italy's greatest citizens:  Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, Rossini, as well as a memorial monument to Dante, who was actually buried in Ravenna because he had been exiled from Florence. Also viewed a special photographic exhibit on the disastrous Arno River floods of November 1966 and the "mud angels" from all over the world who helped rescue and restore more than a million books, paintings, frescoes and sculptures.

Here at Santa Croce we saw two MORE Last Supper paintings - by Taddio Gaddi (1340) and Giorgio Vasari (1546) ... both severely damaged in the disastrous Arno River floods of 1966.  Saw an amazing video on the restoration process of the Vasari painting - which took over 50 years!  What an amazing "Four Last Supper Day" we have had!  (In preparation for this trip, I recently read Walter Issacson's wonderful biography of Leonardo da Vinci in which the author actually mentioned, described and depicted all the Last Supper paintings we have had the pleasure of viewing today!)

Next on our busy agenda, our 5:15 reservation to see Michelangelo's "David" at the Accademia.  Lines were long, even for those of us with reserved tickets, but eventually we got in, passed through security and saw that always awe-inspiring statue in its perfectly designed niche, surrounded by admirers speaking languages from countries all over the globe. I think it's about the fifth time I've seen the "David" ... and it still continues to amaze me.

Time for a quick rest (and phone charge) back at the Grand Tour, then off to dinner at nearby Carfaggi where we enjoyed an excellent meal (BEST Florentine Onion Soup ever!!), served by a delightful waitress, niece of the owner, who brought us complimentary Vin Santo with our dessert.



During dinner, Mary, Paula and I shared many laughs, a few tears, and a lot of fabulous memories as we re-lived our favorite (& funniest) moments from Rome, Tuscany, Assisi and Florence.   What wonderful friends these two women are to me ... and how grand that they have become such good friends to each other. These 15 days together have truly been a gift all three of us will always remember with great joy and great appreciation!  Buon Viaggio back to Syracuse tomorrow, Mary McAndrew!