#2 - Florence & Tuscany

Duomo of Orvieto

Florence: after viewing Michelango's David at the Galleria dell'Accademia, we took a walking tour of the central part of the city. Duomo of Florence.

Baptistry of the Duomo

Top four panels of Baptistry doors: Expulsion from Eden, Cain murders Abel, Drunkeness of Noah and his Sacrifice, and Abraham and the Sacrifice of Isaac.

Bev rubs the snout of the boar, meaning a future return to Florence.

Loggia dei Lanzi at the Uffizi, an outdoor gallery: Cellini's bronze statue of Perseus with the head of Medusa, a project that took nearly ten years even for the master metal-smith. Fedi's "The Rape of Polyxena" is on the right, along with a nod to contemporary Italy on the left.

"Hercules and Cacus," by Bandinelli.

It was amazing to see so many famous works of art in the Uffizi, and Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" was the highlight for me.

Benvenuto Cellini, creator of the Perseus masterpiece

Ponte Vecchio (1385), the only bridge in the city not destroyed during WW II.

Piazza della Signoria, with Fountain of Neptune and mounted figure of Cosimo Medici.

One of the Medici Lions, with a copy of David in the background.

"Hercules Beating the Centaur Nessus," by Giambologna, carved from a single block of marble.

"The Rape of the Sabine Women," also by Giambologna, and also carved from a single block.

Mosiac map at the American Military Cenetery about seven miles south of Florence. I was particularly touched by the long wall with the names of our gallant airmen who have no graves since they were incinerated when their planes were shot down.

At the farmhouse where we had dinner one evening.

Part of our group.

That's our wonderful guide, Lucio Levi, on the right.

It was Bob and Joan's 60th wedding anniversary.

Central Florence by night.

View of the countryside from San Gimignano. Is there anywhere else as photogenic as Tuscany?

San Gimignano.

The Via San Giovanni features many shops offering local products.

I like Italian ham as well as the next person, but I draw the line at buying one with the bristles and hoof still attached.

Beautiful tile work.

For some reason, meerkats seem to be a popular decoration in Italy.

View of San Gimignano, the city of towers.

Siena

Each of the 17 contrades, or parishes, in Siena has its own animal symbol.

Gear from the Palio, Tuscany's greatest festival, featuring a mad dash of a horse race around the Piazza Del Campo.

Siena's Duomo

A highlight of the duomo is the Piccolomini Library, with magnificent frescos from 1509 of scenes from the life of Pope Pius II.

Ceiling of the library

Designs from the inlaid marble floors in the nave.

The Piazza Del Campo, considered one of Europe's greatest medieval squares.

Reliefs on the Fonte Gaia in the piazza.

Sign outside a cafe on the piazza.

The legend has it that the twins Romulus and Remus were suckled and brought up by a she-wolf on the Palatine Hill in the 9th Century BC. Later Romulus killed his brother and founded the village that was destined to become Rome. Statues and other images depicting the legendary ancients are common throughout Italy.

Our group had lunch at this lovely cafe.

So named because it was the route to the place of executions.

And what trip to Italy would be complete without this? Duomo and Leaning Tower in Pisa's Campo dei Miracoli.

Baptistry.

Dome of the Baptistry