Definitely Deriving Delight from Dashing David
Morning began bright and early with breakfast at 7:30. I ate with Ila and Tom and tried not to think about the fact that we were leaving beautiful Venice. There was a theme to our travel, excitement at seeing what the new city or country might bring, and sadness to leave the wonderful place you'd just gotten to know.
After packing up my room, I joined my tour mates outside in the square at 9AM. We rolled out suitcases through town and to the vaporetto. This is where I started referring to us as "The Thundering Herd". You could always tell when a tour group was coming or going. The sound of twenty eight plus suitcases rolling over cobblestone streets and sidewalks causes quite a ruckus!
After our final vaporetto ride in Venice we boarded the bus for the next adventure. We made two pit stops, the second one being in the town of Bologna, where we had lunch.
When lunch was finished a few of us walked over to the little playground to have some fun. I went right over to the merry go round and ignoring my bad ankle started it spinning and then jumped on. Imants came over to join me, but he wasn't so eager to be spun!
After packing up my room, I joined my tour mates outside in the square at 9AM. We rolled out suitcases through town and to the vaporetto. This is where I started referring to us as "The Thundering Herd". You could always tell when a tour group was coming or going. The sound of twenty eight plus suitcases rolling over cobblestone streets and sidewalks causes quite a ruckus!
After our final vaporetto ride in Venice we boarded the bus for the next adventure. We made two pit stops, the second one being in the town of Bologna, where we had lunch.
When lunch was finished a few of us walked over to the little playground to have some fun. I went right over to the merry go round and ignoring my bad ankle started it spinning and then jumped on. Imants came over to join me, but he wasn't so eager to be spun!
The Heidebloem busses are amazing. There are two entrances, one near the passenger seat and the other on the middle side of the bus. They're not like the busses I'm familiar with where the seats are all on one level behind the driver. Neither is it a double decker with seating on two levels. These busses have huge storage underneath, then a big cab area with the drivers seat and a passenger seat. Little Ricky doesn't suffer either, as he has a little kitchenette behind his seat and so many other amenities! For the rest of us, we climb the stairs to the upper level where the seats are cushy and the windows are big. If you choose to sit in the very front of the bus, above the cab, you get a full panorama view of the area and sometimes you feel like you're flying!
In a few hidden areas of the bus are cameras, so Richard can spy on his passengers while he drives! I was surprised when the cameras were pointed out to me. Then Dimitri confessed that he and Richard sometimes had a laugh to watch and see when I'd cover myself with my jacket and go to sleep. Then to be ornery, he'd sometimes pick that moment to start an "informative" chat on his microphone over the intercom. My revenge? I had to start messing with the camera! One time I just assisted Herb in covering it with paper- but we got scolded for that. Later, I just started making signs. Then Little Ricky told me that the images are flipped on his monitor, so my sign was backwards. So I got more creative!
Here are a couple of my signs.
In a few hidden areas of the bus are cameras, so Richard can spy on his passengers while he drives! I was surprised when the cameras were pointed out to me. Then Dimitri confessed that he and Richard sometimes had a laugh to watch and see when I'd cover myself with my jacket and go to sleep. Then to be ornery, he'd sometimes pick that moment to start an "informative" chat on his microphone over the intercom. My revenge? I had to start messing with the camera! One time I just assisted Herb in covering it with paper- but we got scolded for that. Later, I just started making signs. Then Little Ricky told me that the images are flipped on his monitor, so my sign was backwards. So I got more creative!
Here are a couple of my signs.
Curious Captures
We arrived in Florence around 2:30 and I was assigned to room #15 at the Academia Hotel.
Home Happy Home~ Hotel Academia
Oh look! More stairs!
Fantastic Firenze
After settling into our rooms, we were instructed to meet outside the hotel at 4PM. Dimitri took us on a walking tour of the city.
The Basilica di San Lorenzo is one of the largest churches in Florence and is situated in the main part of town by the market. This is the final resting place of all the main members of the Medici family (Florence's political family dynasty). It's also the resting place of famous sculptor Donatello.
We next found ourselves in the Piazza della Signoria, a popular meeting place for locals and tourists alike. It was there that Florence came alive. The Loggia dei Lanzi next to the Uffizi Gallery beckoned with its beautiful statuary. All of the iconic statues, such as Hercules and Nessus, Perseus with the Head of Medusa and The Rape of the Sabine Women were there. I'm mad that I forgot to take a picture of Cellini's bronze statue of the goddess, Danae with her young son, Perseus. My middle name is Dene'. I was always bummed my parents didn't spell it Danae.
No visit to Florence would be complete without a visit to the Florence Cathedral, also known as Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flowers). It's known for Giotto's Campanile, the Baptistery and the beautiful Duomo with its panoramic views of Florence (if you survive the 463 stairs!). It's the 4th largest Cathedral in the World and is a World Heritage Site.
We had a 4:30 appointment at the Galleria dell' Accademia. In case you're not too familiar with David, or THE David, he was created around 1501 by THE ONE AND ONLY Michelangelo. David, is the Biblical David, the young shepherd boy and the only one brave enough to face Goliath, the giant Philistine warrior. With the odds against him, David uses his sling to fire his rock, like a bullet, between the eyes of Goliath, defeating him. The 26 year old Michelangelo took two years creating his masterpiece. Unlike other artists before him, he created his David not standing over Goliath in Victory, nor in action, but instead, right before battle. The brilliance in this work, for me, is looking at David from every angle. This pose tells such a story! From the tense, furrowed brow, to the intensity of David's eyes, the determination on his face and the tension in his body, this statue is so much more than just a sculpture of the male body. There is life and intrigue there for those who take the time to see it and process it. I loved our time there.
Of course there's so much more to see at the Accademia than David. If you're a statuary lover, like me, you'll be in Heaven indeed!
After a very full day it was nice to follow Dimitri to the Giglio Rosso restaurant to relax and enjoy another wonderful Italian meal. The staff was very friendly and eager to please. They started us off right with pitchers of wine! We then enjoyed three types of delicious pasta, followed by steak and potatoes and our choice of decadent desserts! Somehow, limoncello might have found its way to me too...