"Bon Jono!" chirped Mr C as we piled into the coach for the drive to Florence (old capital of Italy), which was 85 km away. Mr C went on to tell us that Firenze is Florence, just as Roma is Rome and Milano is Milan.
"Please check to see that your passports are where they are. You will find me repeatedly asking you to check your passports. Bear in mind, that if you discover in Milan for instance, that you lost your passport, you will have to return to Rome to make the report. So this is no joke."
"Please check to see that your passports are where they are. You will find me repeatedly asking you to check your passports. Bear in mind, that if you discover in Milan for instance, that you lost your passport, you will have to return to Rome to make the report. So this is no joke."
Under Italian law, coach drivers were not allowed to drive beyond a certain number of hours. They were required to take 15 minutes break along the highway. This worked out fine for us, since most of us "had to go" a great deal. We were informed that the little cubicle in the coach can be used in an emergency but it was strongly discouraged.
Thus we stopped at a restroom along the highway. Once again, Ms Throw-Away-Her-Clothes marched into the store with a shopping cart. Mr Nose-Glued-To-His-Phone muttered, "Don't scare me again, wifey!"
No longer able to contain my curiosity, I blurted out.
"I'm a little curious. I noticed that your wife bought a lot of stuff each time we go to the supermarket or any highway stores. How do you pack all those stuff in your luggage? I'm having trouble with mine."
"Oh, she threw away her clothes."
I thought that was funny so I chuckled.
"I'm serious. She threw away all her clothes and use the space to pack the things she bought. This had been her travelling habit all these years."
People never fail to amaze, do they?
Well, we reached Florence without further incidence. After the tax was paid, we walked to meet up with our Roman guide.
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| Tall doorways to allow horses and carriages through |
This renaissance palace was designed for the powerful Medici family with art museum and a famous chapel. It was associated with many significant events and a large part of Florence history.
- this is where in 1489, a 14 year old Michelangelo came to live as a teenage artist under sponsorship of Lorenzo de Medici (Lord of Florence) who actively sought to cultivate the development of young talent.(Lorenzo's son Giovanni became Pope Leo X, first Medici Pope.)
- Catherine the Medici (future queen of France) lived here early 1500
- In 1938, a dinner between Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler was held here.
We noticed the three different exterior of the building and learnt about the rustication effect. (i.e. from rough and rocky to smooth and delicate):
- Ground Floor - Heavy, rough look with coarse stones sticking out, windows with bars to keep people out in the event of insurrection
- First Floor - smoother, smaller bricks with lighter look
- Second Floor - delicate refined facade
We marched on and as we turned a corner at a block of building to behold the Duomo di Firenze, all of us exclaimed in unison. "Wow!" For in truth, "Wow" is the only exclamation befitting so fine a building.
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| Duomo di Firenze |
"Watch out for your passports," cried Mr C. "Swing your backpacks to the front," yelled Mr C.
The Duomo is not the dome. It is a term for an Italian cathedral church which as condition, must have a bishop and a bishop's chair. The most important church in each city is known as Duomo followed by the name of city eg Duomo di Milano, Duomo di Firenze.
The Duomo is not the dome. It is a term for an Italian cathedral church which as condition, must have a bishop and a bishop's chair. The most important church in each city is known as Duomo followed by the name of city eg Duomo di Milano, Duomo di Firenze.
The dome we see is known as the cupola.
GATES OF PARADISE
Baptistery of San Giovanni. Michelangelo named this building the Gates of Paradise. Bronze panels are replicas. Original works now at the Museo dell Opera.
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| Art museum at the Piazza della Signoria |
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| Old Bridge |
It was said that when Adolf Hitler visited Italy, he was taken to see the Old Bridge above. The structure had so impressed him.that it was spared when German troops later invaded Florence. The medieval segmented arch bridge over the Arno river was noted for the shops built along it. Wooden shuttered goldsmith shops was said to line both sides of the bridge.
The bridge was designed in part as a defensive structure. In medieval Italy, the use of rivers to launch attacks was a well established element of the art of war and although Florence was surrounded by walls, an enemy might attack in boats along the Arno itself
To recover the money spent on building the bridge, the government of Florence rented out the shops. Strict control by the Captain of The Bridge maintained order until in 1495, the government made the grave mistake of selling off the shops to raise money and thereafter lost control over the bridge.
The Basilica di Santa Croce was the burial place of some of the most illustrious Italians, such as Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli and Rossini.
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At this point Mr C knew I had a question which I wouldn't have asked if he hadn't probed.
"Is there a Jewish influence on this church? I thought I saw the Star of David way up there." I asked. |  |
"Oh no! There isn't any Jewish connection. When did Christianity start?"replied Mr C.
I perceived at once that Mr C did not know what I was talking about. One of the tactics of a trainer is to return a question when you don't have the answer. And I was right.
I learnt later that a Jewish architect named Niccolo Matas from Ancona, designed the church's 19th-century neo-Gothic facade, working a prominent Star of David into the composition. Matas had wanted to be buried with his peers but because he was Jewish, he was buried under the porch and not within the walls.
I perceived at once that Mr C did not know what I was talking about. One of the tactics of a trainer is to return a question when you don't have the answer. And I was right.
I learnt later that a Jewish architect named Niccolo Matas from Ancona, designed the church's 19th-century neo-Gothic facade, working a prominent Star of David into the composition. Matas had wanted to be buried with his peers but because he was Jewish, he was buried under the porch and not within the walls.
The moral of the story? Tour Managers do not know everything and will admit nothing!
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| Bronze replica of Michelangelo's David offered a panoramic view of Florence |
And we were off to the Pierotucci Leather Factory where I was surprised to see Chinese salesperson promoting leather products.
There's something to be said about the table cloth at restaurants though. Disposable paper were used instead of table cloths. Some were white, most were off-white or creamy white. They were probably recycled after every use, I thought as I imagined the sauces and stains that went into the paper. Then one day, we sat at this restaurant where the serviettes were a dark brown. I placed this serviette neatly to one side and thought I'd be better off not using it.
Now the Florentine Steak and Fried Chicken in Florence were done to perfection! We washed all that down with a bottle of red wine which costs us only €11.
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| Mural on the wall (restaurant) |
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