Probably the most challenging but finally rewarding sightings, if you will, is seeing Pope Francis and as you can imagine we we far from alone. It is with religious fervor or really frenzy that greets the visitor, as you are thrust along by the agitated momentum of the crowd, which are from everywhere.
And yes there he is the leader of over a billion people on this planet!
After that crush of the crowd, we ventured over to The Pantheon, which is a spectacular example of the ingenuity of the Romans, still standing, pretty much as it had in the day it was a Temple to the multitude of Gods worshiped at that time. The dimensions are exact and the roof the the ocular opening was made of concrete and limestone, a Roman invention.
After the Pantheon, it was on to Florence, which is hovering at 100% with pretty substantial humidity, thus the allegorical tale of the inferno is literally felt and we live like the days of old in our stifling apartment, you guessed it no air! We will spend much time in museums mot only for the incredible arts works that are here but just to cool down! Our first visit in Florence was to the Uffizi Museum, with its great collection of Italian Renaissance mostly gathered my the powerful Medici family and other rich patrons who engaged the artists, like Botticelli below.
Leonardo da Vinci
Venus Boticelli
Scary Medusa shield for the Prince
Statues of Zeus and Hercules. The museum is full of statues as many of the artist rendered art in that form as well as painting.
Rembrandt’s later more realistic portraiture and a self portrait of the artist
The museum corridors , which are longs,and the view outside of the River Arno and Ponte Vecchio Bridge.
Bacchus always fun to hang with.
Much to ponder a brief snippet of the art without wordy descriptions!
First night dinner at a very nice restaurant and a walk in one of the many squares. Italian design promotes sociability.
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