A long weekend class trip to Florence

The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is the cathedral church (Duomo) of Florence, Italy, begun in 1296 in the Gothic style to the design of Arnolfo di Cambio and completed structurally in 1436 with the dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi. The exterior of the basilica is faced with polychrome marble panels in various shades of green and pink bordered by white and has an elaborate 19th century Gothic Revival facade by Emilio De Fabris.








Such a shame. I was too sick to enjoy it. I have been over the moon with all the "real live" just inches from my finger tips art history here in Rome and was very excited to be going to Florence to see the actual original 1504 Michelangelo's David and the Duomo, but by the time I got there I was delirious with fevers and couldn't have cared less. Also a shame is you are not allowed to take pictures in most museums and churches, usually I try anyway with out a flash but again to sick to snap. Bummer, but it is OK because I live in Italy now and Florence is only an hour and a half train ride away I'll just have to go another weekend. Oh yeah and the shopping and the leather, man it just makes me wanna cry that I couldn't participate. You know how it smells when you walk past a bakery and the smell of fresh baked goods just surrounds you and makes you drool? Well Florence is like that only with the smell of Leather, fresh leather smells just float out of every store and it smells fantastic.

Neptune is like, "You talking to me?"








Here is my "crazy" Renaissance Professor at dinner, the man is so inteligent and loves to say what ever he likes politically, sexually, about religion the world and it's history, nothing is too taboo. Now I (and most of the students) often don't agree with him but he definately keeps us on our toes and thinking even more about world affairs and politics than art history.