Florence

Our home base for the trip was an apartment located five minutes on foot from the north side of the Duomo. The one-time 14th century palace retained a few remnants of its once glorious life before being divided into expansive apartments: faded frescoes, a grand staircase, original sculptures by the likes of Ammanati, and skeleton keys the size of summer squash.

Our time in Florence was spent visiting churches, museums, and eating gelato! Littlest was taken with a sculpture depicting the rape of the Sabine women. That a sculptor can portray fear in a way that's perceptible to a five year old is astounding. Bop walked round and round the base of Michelangelo's terribillita that is David and spent her pocket money on postcards featuring 'The Birth of Venus.' Log spent a great deal of time searching for the tell-tale Medici palle which can be found nearly anywhere one chooses to look.



Gold shops line the Ponte Vecchio.


View from Ponte Vecchio


Ponte Vecchio




Detail of the Duomo's painted dome


Michelangelo's tomb


Medici Chapel




Detail of Pazzi Chapel


Brunelleschi's beautiful dome




Fountain in Boboli Gardens