Florence, Italy

Sunday 21, Feb.Sheila and I awoke early to sunshine and church bells our 40th anniversary. Sunday and most of the shops are closed, but we were able to find a coffee shop. After croissants and coffee, we headed to Uffizi Museum. But first, we stopped at an open air market that was selling crafts. Sheila bought a more stylish hat thar was more protection from the cold. We walked along the Arno River which was flowing muddy anf ast from all the recent rain. But today it was sunny. We got to the museum. We had made reservations probably not necessary this time of year. Still, if you make reservation, you don't have to wait in line.We spent well over two hours looking at the paintings of masters. The exibit is arranged chronologically from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries so you can see the development of art through the Renaissance changes in perspective, light and color. It was great, but they had closed for rennovation a room containing Michaelangelo, DaVinci, and Rafael a disappointment. Still the museum was spectacular with Botacelli's Birth of Venus and Spring. We left the museum and stopped by a street vendor for a bite. A Japanese couple asked Sheila if she would take a picture of them with their pizza. The Japanese don't eat much cheese, so I guessed they wanted photographic evidence for the folks back home. You gotta love international travel. We went into the a duomo on the Piazza S. Croce to view the burial place of both Michelangelo and Galeleo. I was struck by the irony of Galeleo buried in a church since he spent the last years of his life under house arrest and threatened with excommunication because he had the audacity to report his observation that planets revolve around the sun thereby confirming Copernican theory. The church eventually recanted and had his body moved to this church. It shows you that anyone can learn even the church. This church also houses a piece of cloth from the robes of St Francis a real religious relic. Out of the freezing church, we set out for the Museo Accademia to view Michangelo's David. Accademia is a much more modest museum. It was designed to house the statue of David. I'm stopping for dinner. There's more to come.