Florence is Magnificent!

Our visit to Florence was much too short -- a half day is just not enough time to see the birthplace of the Renaissance. Although I firmly believe that cruising is one of the best ways to see the world there are times when you need more time to savor the beautiful site you're visiting. I now know that someday I will spend more time in Florence.

The highlight of my short visit was Michelangelo's Statue of David. I could have spent all day in the Galleria dell' Accademia admiring David's physique -- the powerful chest, the rippling muscles and the look of fear and determination in his eyes as he was about to cast the stone that would kill Goliath. In a moment of levity I asked Steve if he could possibly work out enough to look like David by the end of year and he replied that there was no way that his hands would possibly grow as large as David's in a couple of months. It's hard to see in this picture but David's extremities are not in proportion to his body.


Another fascination for me was the Ponte Vecchio, Florence's oldest bridge. Our tour guide explained to us that the Ponte Vecchio was not always lined with fancy jewelry stores. In fact, it was occupied by a meat market until Grand Duke Cosimi I de' Medici ordered the meat market closed in 1565 because he didn't like the stench it was creating as he traversed the passageway from his residence to the government palace. I don't know how you feel about Grand Duke Cosimi I de' Medici overall, but I think he made a good move when he outlawed the meat market.

Although we had the opportunity to take photos from the outside of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo), the Church of Santa Croce and Uffizi Gallery, it is a shame that we didn't have the time to go inside. I also didn't have time to shop for leather handbags or savor a gelato or two.

More photos of Florence