Florence: From the Ridiculous to the Sublime

(Not necessarily in that order.)

My daughter Jenny and I arrived in Florence Friday evening and we've pretty much been walking nonstop since then. We started at the Baptistry, where I was amused by this happy trio above
one set of the Ghiberti doors..

At the Accademia, we saw Michelangelo's David and his amazing unfinished sculptures that look like they are bursting out of the marble--with Robert Mapplethorpe photographs displayed near many of them, which looked like sculptures themselves. Then on to San Marco, one of my favorite places in the world, with its beautiful Fra Angelicos and the monks quarters above, a fresco in each tiny cell and Savonorola's own personal cell complete with desk and hair shirt. Afterwards, we climbed (seriously climbed) to the cupola of Brunellschi's dome for the view--both into the dome and out over the city.



We saw the Giottos at Santa Croce--and the Cimabue crucifix that had been damaged during the 1966 flood. But my favorite was this annoyed-looking adolescent angel, just a detail from a larger painting. (In which she's holding Mary's foot. I mean, who wouldn't be annoyed?)








Modern art can be fun, too. We saw these in a gallery, meandering through the city.










Things got really crazy in the evening! As we neared the Ponte Vecchio, these "newly-weds" strolled into the street...







With their beautiful baby. Yikes!











Shortly followed Hare Krishnas singing and chanting and wheeling around.







And, finally, this amazing sunset.