After leaving the canals of Venice, we backed tracked a bit a headed, once again towards Tuscany. Weeks earlier we were in the region enjoying the views, towns, and the country side but didn't have an opportunity to visit Florence. We arrived late afternoon and chose an urban campground, within the Florence city limits. From the looks of the grounds, it may have been a monastery or a school in the 18th century. Surrounded by views of vine and olive tree covered hills, our campsite felt very remote, bordered by an old growth forest and a winery, it was clasic Tuscany. We had all this atmosphere and we are only 10 minutes from the city center.
Upon arriving in Florence, the first thing you notice is the crazy traffic. As I drove into the city center, the roads felt like organized chaos, with the emphasis on chaos. Not even driving in Paris, which I thought was quite a challenge, could prepare me for this. The roads were definitely not built for an SUV. The streets were very narrow, with people parked on the sidewalks and along the street. Many of the residents, would be carrying on conversations in the streets and would barley move out of the way as we approached. Driving the SUV through these streets, which were really no more than alley ways, felt like frayed thread trying to make it trough the eye of a needle. With only inches to spare and side view mirrors pulled in, we made our way towards the town center. If the narrow roads weren't enough to keep my nerves racked, there was the constant honking of horns, of the less than patient drivers behind me and in the midst of all this vespas, motor cycles and bikes coming at me from almost every angle. I was driving as carefully as I could but this is Italy. I soon learned it's better not to hesitate but to just jump right into the traffic flow. You have to treat driving like skiing, wherever you place your eyes on the slope, you end up there but if you look at your feet, you have no ideal where you'll end up. I soon began to become part of the chaos, looking ahead at my destination, letting the vespas and bikes fend for themselves and not hesitating when I saw a the slightest lane opening. I realized that staying in your lane gets you nowhere, and cutting off other drivers isn't looked upon as a bad thing but an expected one. As we finally reached the city center and with a bit of parking karma we happily left the vehicle for less stressful adventures.
I have to agree with those who recommended a visit to Florence, it's an art lovers dream. If the term “artsy type” has a true meaning, it must have been invented here. Students were everywhere, many caring their canvases or art supplies. The population seemed to become part of art itself, with people sketching the Duomo, painting water colors of the skyline, or creating beautiful works of art on the sidewalks, only to be washed away by an the afternoon rain. As I stood in the square, admiring a cast Michelangelo's David, I couldn't help but find myself in a bit of awe. All that detail, from the facial expression to the veins in his arms, all that, from what once was a 19 foot slab of marble, amazing! Amidst David in the square, were numerous other sculptures as well, all quite amazing in their own right. Not only were the streets filled with would be Michaelangelos but we witnessed some very talented street performers as well. You certainly can tell this was the birth place of the Renaissance. It's hard to believe that 400 years before the Wright Brothers, Leanordo Da Vinci had basically designed blue prints for machines that flew, Galileo was conducting experiments on gravity and the basis for language was being developed, all in this general area.
The most inspiring body of architecture, I have seen to date, was the Duomo, located at the Piazza Del Duomo. At the time of construction, the dome was the largest ever built and has since been the inspirations for countless other domes, including the White House. I was taken back that a structure on a scale this grand was built without mathematical equations. The dome was enormous and punctuated the city's skyline as though it were the crown of a king. The Duomo is one of many impressive structures that call Florence home. Florence is one city that I would suggest scheduling a tour. There is so much to see and if you don't have expertise or an avid interest in art history, walking around the city can become a confusing array of beautiful works of art. After 4 hours of walking around the city, I was fast approaching art burnout. Seeing so much, in a small space of time, can lead to a bit of “I'm not appreciating this as I should syndrome”. From the looks of the bustling cafes that lined the piazzas, I wasn't the only one who felt this way, all the would be art lovers were now studying my favorite kind of art. That would be, the expression that's found in a vino glass. It's not hard to imagine Michelangelo, Leonardo Da vinci, and Donatello, perhaps enjoying a glass of vino in the very same spot that I am now enjoying mine.
Bottle of the Night: 2005 Chateau Marsannay Burgundy. This Pinot Noir jumps straight out at you with sour cherries and baking spices. I get a nice candied apple shell on the nose as well. I think this wine would develope more complexity with time but for a young Burgundy it showed potential. It was in a stage of adolescence so to speak. With Burgundys it takes time and patience, which in this case I lacked, to enjoy their developing flavors.
There is more to the Florence than just art. Within hiking distance of our campground was the tiny village of Fiesole. The views from the village, as it overlooks Florence, is quite breathtaking. It's as though your looking at a terracotta colored sea. The town was a nice respite from the hustle bustle crowds of Florence and a great way to recover from my art hangover. Set amidst olive trees and 16th and 17th century architecture, there were cafes and restaurants with a laid back appeal.
I find that after 3 months, my eye turns more and more at the people instead of the man made monuments. Especially in Italy, there are slices of life all around you. It seemed everywhere I looked, in the village of Fiesole, everyday life would flow in a such poetic form. Whether it was a barber falling asleep in the afternoon, a senior in contemplation or the elderly men gathering in the evening for coffee and conversation. The people take their time and enjoy life. I especially like the sense of community many of these places have. They are fiercely proud of who they are, proud of their land and history. They are also willing to share the bounty of the sweet life they so enjoy, whether it be the local produce, local wine or sharing of the local customs and history, when you began to appreciate this willingness to share, your welcomed into the fold as an Italian.
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