Chris & Kelly's Travel Adventures

Today was a visit to the Masters, both in life and death.  We started our day with our 2nd visit to the Uffizi museum.  Boy, is there a difference between showing up at opening vs. late afternoon...we had the place almost to ourselves!  The second photo is of the 2nd floor sculpture hall ceiling, each panel is around 10-12 ft wide with portraits across 2 entire wings.  Take a close look at the sculpture below, the details in the lace and buttons...it was hard to accept it was marble.  We saw Botticelli's "Spring", that is rumored to have 156 varieties of plants accurately painted into the canvas, also the "Birth of Venus".   The last photo by Gerrit van Honthorst (Dutch 1620), his use of light and shadow was amazing...it took Chris and I both a minute to realize that the candlelight illuminating the faces was his skill and not the candle burning in the painting!  Sounds silly, but it was that good. 

Then Chris made a visit to the Galileo Museum of Science, which features collections of original and reconstructed instruments from the early days of science.  Naturally he spent extra time in the hall honoring Galileo's most impactful work, which included "the most beautiful set of beginning physics demonstrations ever!"

We visited Basilica Santa Croce in Firenze, this is the largest Francescan church in the world.  Several things make this church unique and moving.  The first thing Chris and I noticed is that the church has a striking balance of simplicity and beauty, almost as if they knew when to stop.  The Basilica's facade was done by the Jewish architech Niccolo Matas, you might have noticed he incorporated the Star of David.  He wanted to be buried in the church with his peers, but being Jewish they buried him under the threshold...that's gratitude for you.  The other things about this church is some of the people buried here.  Some of the more notable citizens buried here are: Enrico Fermi (physicist), Michelangelo, Galileo, Leonardo da Vinci, Machiavelli and Dante.

Tonight we are going to a special restaurant, recommented to us by an acquaintance who says he had the best steak of his life here.  If its any good I will post more photo's tonight.  Shout out to di Fagioli's...Thanks Doc for the recommendation!