These past few days have been great, as expected. On the 24th we did our Cenacolo tour, visiting 4 different Last Supper works in the city. The first was by del Sarto in 1526, and it was less than a 4 minute walk from our apartment (We can see the church, San Salvi, through our back windows). Next was Ghirlandaio’s 1480 work in San Salvatori, followed by Castagno’s from 1447 in the Sant’Apollonia, and Ghirlandaio’s other work in the bookstore room of San Marco. Odd place for a bookstore, but you use what you have I guess.
It was a neat experience to be able to see and compare the different cenacoli from the different artists and time periods. Andrea del Sarto’s is my favorite, due to the vibrant colours and expressions, and how he placed Judas next to Jesus on the same side of the table.
Among the other works of art we saw that day were at least two annunciations within the San Marco, upstairs in the living quarters, which was in itself a very cool experience.
Afterwards, we headed home for some dinner, then Brad, Derek, Murray, Kiks and myself hopped back on our bikes and rode to the Arno to find a spot for the San Giovanni fireworks show. Think English Bay fireworks, but instead of an entire bay to view them, there is one river and the roads and parks surrounding it. Packed. Paaaacked. Luckily we found a spot for our bikes, and weaved through the crowd, finding a pretty decent place to stand and watch the show. People cheered. It was grand.
To end off the night, the 5 of us rode to the Santissima Annunziata to relax on the steps of the Ospedale with Brad on the guitar and Derek on vocals. The Mosquito song was the main feature of the night. Sadly, we didn’t attract much of an audience apart from one guy who needed a light. So we returned home.
The next day was a bit of a bust. I had planned to go with Brad, Simon, and Karen to the leather market and art store before climbing up the mountain to visit San Miniato. The chain on my bike had fallen off quite a few times over the past week, but the 25th was the worst day yet, as one of the links actually broke. Thankfully I wasn’t too far from the bike shop, because we had gone to ask about the bike renewals. So after getting the chain back on my bike only to have it come off again a few spins later, I walked it back. At first they said it would take a few hours, but a couple minutes later the guy said he just needed 10 minutes. And a new chain was mine.
I then returned to the leather market to buy a few things, visited a travel information place in the underground galleria to ask about train tickets to Cinqueterre, and rode back home to shower and change. Brad and I hit the art store to buy some paper and pencils/charcoal, which, after siesta, made it around 6:10pm, and I didn’t have the energy to bike up the hill to the church which closed at 7. So we went home, bought some more frozen cheeseburgers (so good) and relaxed, running out to use the internet across the street for a bit.
Today was one of the days I’d say I planned well. For one of our projects, we were required to visit 10 sites (to be documented in writing/sketches/photos), 3 of which had to be paid entry, and 3 of which would hopefully result in one of those ‘transcendent moments’ for another project. My plan was the Science Museum in the morning, followed by the Uffizi, then the Piti Palace and Boboli Gardens, and San Miniato and the Piazzale Michelangelo, before meeting up with the gang at an Alfredo place in the centro.
It went off pretty well, except when I ran into some teammates who just came out of the Uffizi saying the current wait was about 2 hours. I didn’t need to wait for 2 hours to see a pile of tourists blocking paintings. So one museum visit under my belt (the Science museum had an interesting exhibit on Galileo’s Telescope.. felt very Science World, but Italian), I headed over the Arno to check if the Chiesa di Santa Felicita was open – we tried to visit it the first day, but missed the open hours that day as well. Rather than be discouraged, I moved on with my schedule, and walked up the street to the Piti Palace, enjoying the Boboli Gardens, Pompeii horti reconstructions, Porcelain museum, and Medici Science museum for a good 3 hours. It was beautiful and relaxing, and a good decision to hit the park during the heat of the day.
After finding a quick sandwich, I returned to the Santa Felicita where I finally was able to enjoy the lovely mannerist Deposition by Pontormo then rode to the base of the Piazzale Michelangelo and walked up for the view. And what a view it was, looking directly up the Arno and the hills beyond. Climbing my way up further to San Miniato, I ran into many students sketching and drawing the view. It’s Florence, the city of perspective.. and like I said, everyone is an artist.
Up at the church, there were young people everywhere sitting, sketching, learning. The church itself, one of if not the oldest in the city, is remarkably different from others I’ve seen so far, with a crypt included underneath the choir, making the apse almost completely non-visible from the pews. Deciding to enjoy my time at the top of the mountain before closing at 7, I wandered through the cemetery, finding a spot on top of the wall to sit. And there I sat for a good 20 minutes. Thinking, watching, reminiscing, dreaming, as birds flew overhead, and bugs sang. Cypress trees in the foreground, Duomo in the distance, and the city of Florence before me.
I suddenly realized why the city feels more comfortable than Rome – the mountains. The river and surrounding plains are bordered with mountains, in contrast to the sprawling developments of Rome and what I understand Milan will also be. They contain, and provide refuge.. things I seemed to take for granted in Vancouver (which we all think is crowded..!). With this in mind, I slowly walked back to the entrance of the church to sit and write and sketch a bit of the cityscape available to me before slowly making my way down to the river and meeting up with the gang for dinner (where I made friends with the waiter thanks to my international student card). Just another day in Florence.
