firenze frenzy

Are you ailing in the heart? Do you find yourself daydreaming about crumbling architecture, the hum of scooters and ray-ban-clad urbanites? A bout of Romesickness perhaps?




Fret not, dear friends, I have found a remedy! All you need to fix you right up is a dose of Essence of Florence (and three bottles of wine) taken daily. Yup. I'm basically Alexander Fleming just with girl-bits and no geeky bow tie. Have a try:

Mmmm, goes down easy huh? So much better than Dimetapp and gives you a lovely buzz. Think i'll be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for my pharmaceutical revelation? I'll start designing a display case for it now.

Let's be very real though, for just a second. Because this right here:

 

May have been one of the most beautiful sunsets i've ever had the pleasure of watching. Sat on the bridge for a good hour and watched the colors morph and fade. But just when you thought the sky was done dazzling, she turns around and smacks you with some nightbeauty:

Its okay, don't feel weird, I wasn't really able to speak for about ten minutes after seeing this either. Your voice will come back in a few.

But that's Florence for you: beauty abounding. You go expecting to stroll some of the most famous galleries and see art but then you realize that the city in itself is great art. And the people are just as great. Its smaller than Rome, obviously, so the people and atmosphere is a bit more down to earth. There are a lot of students which makes it fun; and there is a perfect balance of grime and art.

The people are just as nice, as well. A lot of tourists and natives mixed about. My hostelmates the first night were a quirky brother and sister from Australia en route to London for the Wall Street sit-in. They were replaced with an equally fun AustraliaBrit named Jono who was moving to the Florence to write and learn Italian and a 'eccentric' NoName boy from Florida who enlightened me about the mores of vampires. I think he was in Florence to study as well, but to be a Vampire, as he slept about 20 hours a day and spoke in varied accents. I didn't have the heart to tell him he was in the wrong country, he seemed fragile. Jono and I explored the city around the university a bit, ate too much, drank too much, and found some awesome light shows in the Piazza Della Signoria. Fine Italian fun.

I also met another native friend! Everyone, please say hello to Ervin:

Yeah, he's a sweetheart. I'm quite lucky to find these wonderful people with great scooters. He took me about to Michelangelo's Piazza above the city (where I took the night shot above) and out to a cute HoleInTheWall pizzeria with delicious pizza and wine. 

I was supposed to leave the next day but was just having too much fun so I stayed...two more days bahahahha (this seems to be a habit of mine?)  I went to Uffizi and The Accademia and was awed by both the famous and not so famous pieces (Grandma: you were right about David's disproportionate anatomy...disappointing indeed). What were my favorites? Oh, I'm so glad you asked, you're so great. I wasn't allowed to take photos, but here were my favs:

Botticelli, "Spring"

Vecchio, "Adam and Eve"

 Vecellio, "Flora"

Bartolini, "Fiducia in Dio"

The Uffizi also had this awesome exhibit on the bottom floor that showed the progression and development of the gallery from first conception to modern day (they are currently constructing a new addition to the gallery). It was amazing to see the first plans and drawings of the building and surrounding area, then to see paintings of the piazzas from hundreds of years ago because so little has changed. Besides people wearing those awful onion-shaped pants. Now they just wear atrocious pants of other various shapes. History and fashion coming full-circle here folks.

I met up with Ervin after the galleries and we went up to a great big park (Central Park, of course) and we strolled around, people watching and enjoying the fall (read: freezing) evening. Don't worry, the second half of my Romesickness remedy works really well for nippy nights as well. Wine warmth.

Fact: Old men playing bocce ball = cutest thing ever. Google it, I swear its true. Cuter than puppies in baskets.

All roads lead to happiness here. Pretty sweet route.

Another city and group of people I hated to leave. But it just keeps getting better so I was excited to see how my next stop would turn out. Still can't believe how generous and kind Fortune has been to me <3

Now, its on to the three V's: Vicenzia, Verona and Venice and more of my new favorite activity: Trainwaiting--

All my love xxox,
b

Ciao Roma, Ciao Firenze.

I did it. I left Rome. I hated doing it, my stomach lurched a little as I pulled out of the station. might have also been the result of too much italian cafe and the disorientation of a massive train station which is much like the rest of the city- a colorful whirlwind of natives, travelers, venders, workers, noises and smells--its beautiful and alive, a perfect city.

What sets it apart from all the others, however, is its energy. Yes, the city itself is built upon thousands of years of culture and history-- contemporary business empires placed next to the remains of their ancient predecessors. The landscape alone is breathtaking but its the energy of the place that is what won my heart. With all the moving: the zipping cars, vespas and bikes, the loud talking and throngs of people, I was uncharacteristically calm and content.

my third day in, I met up with Erion again and moved my stuff to his bachelor(s) pad on the outskirts of the city. we rested up a bit then went out for the night. our first stop was a small (shady looking) pizzeria near his apartment. i was a skeptic at first but have since learned that you can't really go wrong with italian food. ever. we walked in and there are just sheets and sheets of pizza with every kind of topping imaginable. whatever you stomach-heart wants, you got it. we got a sampling of pizza which was great but what really killed me is my new favorite ball food: suppli.  these balls will trump any kind of ball cuisine you've ever had (stop being in the gutter, get out of it, wipe yourself off and wash your hands, you'll tarnish these delightful golden balls with gutter-grit). They are balls of mozzarella wrapped in a cozy blanket of tomato risotto then deep fried to create a crisp shell which gives way to creamy, cheesy ecstasy. I couldn't stop shoving food into my mouth to take a photo (you understand, right? forgive me? thank you.) but here's one I found, just to give you an idea:

Wipe your chin, you look like a fool.

After that we walked around the different areas of the city, popping into bars and cafes where Erion had friends (i swear he knows everyone) and strolling through the various piazzas and intricate webs of cobbled alleys lined with shuttered apartments and sagging clothes lines.  i think charming is the only word for it.

The next morning we woke up early and hopped on the scooter to jet over to Trastevere, a neighborhood on the west bank of the Tiber, home of the Porte Portese flea market-- a sprawling outdoor junk fair. So much junk everywhere. New junk, old junk, weird junk, questionable junk, crud junk. The best kind of junk. It was dirty and local and beautiful.

After roaming the market, we switched into tourist mode and headed for the colosseum and ruins. there is no way to explain them. i can say its huge and ancient but you know that. 2000 years of weather eroding the stone, reshaping it into what it is now and to think of all the feet that have walked in and around it. its unbelievable and overwhelming in both its structure and historical significance.

And then, to end the day with this:

Perfection.

And yes...I was sad to leave Rome but...now that I've hopped on the train and arrived in Florence to this?

...i think i'll pull through. been here 3 days so far and florence has already blown my heart up with its vistas. and no other city overflows with art like this one. its too much. but florence, in all its beauty, deserves a whole entry of her own--soon to come. 

i leave for vicenza tomorrow, staying with a high school friend and will be visiting verona and venice over the next few days, will check in soon.


xxox
-b