Italia Day Five

On Thursday we headed from Rome to Florence. The train ride was less than two hours (Courtenay you will be so close to Rome next semester!) and we made it to Florence in time for lunch. Unfortunately I woke up with a bad cold and felt horrible all day- I think our travel schedule combined with a lack of sleep really got to me. We ate some Florence-style pizza, which is quite different from Roman-style. Florence pizza is similar to what we eat in America, while Rome pizza always has a thin crust and not much sauce or cheese, especially when compared to Papa John’s. Both types are great in different ways. After lunch we went shopping in the market. The markets in Florence are WONDERFUL. I have never been so motivated to shop, with the exception of when I walk into an H&M. Leather jackets, beautiful scarves, jewelry, and cameos abound. I will not talk more about this, first of all because it’s probably boring and second of all because I don’t want anyone to know what I bought. But I will say I had a great time.
We met our tour guide, named Christopher, who was very energetic and eager to show us the city. He took us first to the museum where Michelangelo’s David lives. I loved David. He is huge, much bigger than I thought. My head barely reached the pedestal he stood on. I can tell why he is so famous- the statue really does have a life of its own, and David’s eyes have an expression in them that looks uncannily realistic.
After the museum we walked around the city and saw some more statues and a few more works by Michelangelo. I honestly don’t remember a whole lot other than the fact that I felt terrible. We went shopping again in the afternoon (shameful, I know) and then ate dinner together as a group. I must say that I love Florence. It is a manageable size, it is beautiful, it is safe, and it is overall a comfortable place to live. Rome would be hard to navigate logistically over a long period of time, but I think I could live in Florence (I would probably be broke, however). The Duomo, a famous church built of pink, white, and green marble, is my favorite site in the city. I didn’t ever go inside, and I greatly regret that. Had I been more in my right mind I would have. I loved the church, though, with its huge dome designed by the famous architect Brunelleschi; the church alone makes Florence worth a visit.