The decision to go to Florence was made almost on a whim. Laura and I both had friends studying there, and the others agreed that they would like to see more of Italy than simply Rome. Best decision we made of the entire trip.
Florence was incredible. Unlike Rome, which was slightly disenchanting outside of magic of the ruins and the narrow streets designed specifically to entrance tourists, Florence was very authentic. It was the picturesque little city one thinks of when daydreaming about escaping to an Italian villa amid the rolling hills of Tuscany. From the height of Michelangelo’s Plaza, hosting a cast of the statue of David (we totally thought that it was the real one… oops), one can see for miles the gorgeous city, framed by the ethereal looking countryside.
The whole day was not spent admiring the view, however. Far from it. The first stop of the day after our 11 am arrival was the Duomo. It was stunning from the outside, white and beautifully paneled. This paneling and painting is done with such intricacy, it is hard to imagine that the inside could be even more so. The distinctive Brunelleschi dome towers above all else in the city, making it not only a beautiful landmark, but a very useful compass.
Inside was comparatively simple in comparison with the outer décor. Most striking, of course, was the fresco painted on the interior of the dome. The expansive scene depicts The Last Judgment, complete with depictions of Heaven, Hell, Christ, and the patron saint of the of the cathedral, St. Mary of the Flower. Although we did not ascend into the dome, as it cost €10, even walking around the cathedral was magnificent enough.
From there we continued our tour of Florence. Strangely enough, the city is the site of many foreign university programs. Although my friend was unable, as, ironically, she had flown to England earlier that morning, we did run into quite a few American students. The bar we went out to later in the evening was very much an American bar: school names written on the walls, t-shirts on the ceiling, Greek letters everywhere. It was so cool to find such a little haven of American education in a place so far away.
Crossing the Ponte Vecchio, the famous bridge crossing over the Arno River in the city, we were thrust into the heart of shopping country. Florence hosts an amazing leather market, and we spent a while wandering around looking at merchant’s wares. Unfortunately, I was unable to find the type of leather journal I was hoping for, which was disappointing; my current one will soon be filled and I have yet to find a suitable replacement. I also failed to acquire a leather jacket. Probably a mistake, but my wallet thanked me for it.
After an exciting and tumultuous spring break in Italy, we embarked for London Saturday morning. Our commute back from Florence was kind of crazy: train to Rome, bus to the airport, plane to England, bus into town, Tube home. Overwhelming, but it was unimaginably good to be back in London. It is crazy how much this city has become home over the past two months, and how comfortable I feel here. Even with the pressures of classes, finals, and internships looming, I am so thrilled to be back!
