Porca Vacca!

…which basically translates to “Holy Cow!”

January 28

Katie and I met up with Callie, Lori, Carmen, Carrie, and Shayla at the train station and took a bus to Panzano in Chianti. Jodie had recommended that we visit Solociccia (“Only Meat”) for lunch. Dario Cecchini, who is a famous butcher who can recite Dante from memory, owns the restaurant. While we didn’t get to meet the famous butcher, we did get our burgers (your American is showing…). We each got a huge plate of food, including the burger (no bun, no cheese), onion, carrots, parsley, and fries. The burger was a little rare for my taste, but the seasoning was amazing. I don’t know how to describe Italian ketchup, but Italian mustard is delicious (kind of like honey mustard, but with a little bit more of a kick). The bottle kept being passed back and forth throughout the entire meal.

All for ten Euro!

Afterwards, we split up into smaller groups to explore the town. Panzano is very small, probably even smaller than Fiesole. We hiked up a hill to Santa Maria Assunta, which wasn’t as impressive as the little chapels we’ve visited so far (the painting above the altar was so modern that the figures were wearing blue jeans). However, the view around every corner was breathtaking. We split up into even smaller groups to putter around the surrounding country roads, passing by the olive groves and grape vines. Before I left, my grandpa requested that I take a picture of a cow or a tractor. Well, I got a picture of the ceramic cow outside of the restaurant. Mission accomplished!

Olive groves in Panzano

January 29

With no set plans for the day, I decided to take off on my own and explore all of the monuments that I pass by on a daily basis, but have never taken the time to stop and actually visit. Here’s a map of places I went:

Google maps says that I walked about ten kilometers, but I figure it’s more than that because I backtracked, sidetracked, and wandered off of the roads onto paths that aren’t on the map. Also, if you want to know more about taking a walk in Florence, click here.

 

My first stop was unexpected: Giardino dell’Orticultura. I saw locals milling about and decided this would be a good place to start. A Renaissance loggia (covered in modern day graffiti) stands in the middle of the park and there’s a huge greenhouse tucked away behind some trees up on the hill. It looks as though it has been abandoned for a long time (the glass is still intact, but there aren’t any plants). After the gardens, I wandered over to Piazza della Libertà. It’s the home of the triumphal arch of Florence and can be seen from quite a ways away (I use it as a reference point when I’m lost).

I wandered in the direction of downtown to the fountain that the bus passes by on my way home. I watched the ducks swim around in the pool at the Giardini di Fortezza before heading around the entire exterior of the Fortezza da Basso. From what I can tell, the historical structure is used as an exhibition place and fancy galas (Jodie told me that there’s a place for restoration projects inside). Since it was Sunday, it didn’t look like anything was open (and I didn’t really feel like getting in trouble for trespassing), so I kept going. I stopped by the park that I pass everyday on the way to school and had lunch (while warding off all of the pigeons) before heading off to admire the Duomo. Again.

After seeing all of the little parks and monuments along the way, I needed a museum fix. I followed the signs to Galleria dell’Accademia. However, the entrance is just a hole in the wall and I ended up missing it and wandering over to Santissima Annunziata, which is right next to the Archaeological Museum. I walked in right as they were trying to close up, but I really really really hope that one of my classes visits this place because it’s beautiful. But I wasn’t there for more than two minutes and to get out, someone had to unlock the big, ancient deadbolt.

Then I finally found the entrance to Galleria dell’Accademia and walked into the first room to find the plaster cast model that Giambologna used to sculpt The Rape of the Sabine Women. A quick walkthrough of the Museum of Musical Instruments and then I headed towards the main galleries. Just around the corner—Michelangelo. I was not prepared. I didn’t study the layout of the museum ahead of time, so for some reason, I assumed that his works would be towards the end, encouraging visitors to look at lesser known works before being wowed. But no, you walk around the corner and there are Michelangelo’s unfinished slaves. These sculptures were originally intended for the tomb of Pope Julius II and ended up in the hands of the Medici at some point. Although this series was never finished, they are still elegant. Like, if you tap just the right place, the figure will break free from the block that it’s encased in (kind of like a person breaking free of a block of ice in a cartoon).

One of Michelangelo's unfinished works (image found)

However, I did not fully appreciate the slaves during my first viewing of the hallway because Michelangelo’s David was RIGHT THERE. I tried to be nonchalant and not freak out, but that didn’t work. So I settled on a bench in the corner and just stared. Caught up on my journal, looking up to gawk after every sentence. Stood directly in front of the statue, took two steps to the right, stopped, and gawked some more. Three hundred and sixty degrees. Sneaked a picture (shhh). But seriously, none of the replicas I’ve ever seen could ever measure up to seeing him in person. He’s just so majestic and elegant and regal and I could basically go on forever.

Michelangelo's David!!!

But there is more to the Galleria dell’Accademia. There’s an entire room filled with plaster casts of sculptures from all over. Sometimes, I think these casts are more interesting, just because they represent the artistic process that many seem to forget about. The rest of the galleries focus on Renaissance and Gothic interpretations of the Madonna and Child, the Enunciation, the Deposition, the Lamentation, the Assumption, you get the idea. I visited all of the rooms at least twice, but I kept going back to the David. And I wasn’t the only one; there was one man who brushed passed me, muttering, “I have to go look at that statue one more time, I’m not coming back here in my life.” And I thought, “How lucky am I, I could come back tomorrow if I wanted to.”

I finally tore myself away from the exhibit and told myself that I couldn’t return home until the battery on my iPod died. I wandered back towards home, stopping to explore the creek bed and the park nearby, where I stumbled across the Museo Stibbert, which my host mom had mentioned upon arrival. I had no idea that it was three minutes from my doorstep. Of course, it was closed by the time I got there (that’s becoming a common theme…).

On Monday we will be joined by the fifteen week students and start our real classes. I have never been so excited to learn in my entire life.