Firenze Archives • Folksy Travel by Bill Smale

This is a very beautiful museum to visit and highly recommended. One thing I keep getting reminded of when I enter a cathedral or visit a museum of ancient art, at certain periods of history the money was in religion and religious art. I don’t know how many museums I’ve been in since I started visiting areas in Europe including Ireland and the British Isles but I think my senses have become jaded by the overflow of religious art. I recommend when you want to visit this museum or any other it might be a good idea to read a little about the different artist displayed and what to look for that makes them stand out over the others. I think that will help give you a little more sense of excitement and anticipation at the detail, technique and display.

Interesting outfit Uffizi Firenze — I wasn’t quite sure if she was dressed as intended. Maybe I was missing some new fashion technique.

Sign over the entranceway Uffizi Firenze — at the entrance you see this over the door. You can do your own translation. That numbering system is different from what I learned.

A little crowded Uffizi Firenze — The entrance. It was fairly crowded but not too bad

The story of the birth Uffizi Firenze — there are various stories and interpretations. What I have come to understand is that some scholars from Persia were early astronomers and they saw an alignment of stars indicating they should look for someone special. So they went looking and found a baby that was born on the day this alignment started. But don’t take that as the gospel.

Botticelli painting Bill Smale — This painting I have seen several times and it’s stuck in my mind. I think it’s because the artist is recognized as someone truly excellent.

Venus Bill Smale — This one is extremely famous

Piece of statue Bill Smale — Many statues crumbled and were found in pieces. Many were put back together under supposition, what they were probably intending to show. But some pieces just kept hanging around without a main edifice

Power without clothing Bill Smale — he looks very triumphant. Recently I came to understand gods and extremely strong and capable heroes, male and female, were often depicted without any clothing. The reason was pretty simple. They were so powerful they did not need any demonstration of power or position, something clothing very much indicated at the times the statues were created.

Beautiful ceiling — When you walk through the museum make sure to look around and up at the ceiling as well. It’s a very beautiful building

Ponte vecchio — Ponte Vecchio seen from the museum

Looking through the window — what interested me in this painting is the sense that you are really looking through a window at something happening outside. It just struck me as a unique presentation

A good catch? — The action here is interesting. He is going for a good catch?

Boring — This was not as boring as it seems

I would prefer to see people refer to the city by its real name and not by a name created in English. Actually I did some research into the name and it turns out that the name Florence comes from the old Latin name for the town which was Florentina. But in any case the correct Italian name should be used to avoid any confusion and to be respectful of the Italian people. My last time here was 2010 when I went to a restaurant for my first Meal in Italy, three courses. After the dinner a few older gentlemen were amazed when I complimented the bottles of wine with labels of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Francis Ford Coppola. That we all sang together and old Dean Martin favorite, Volare. That got me a few free shots of Grapa. This city will always be Amazing Firenze.

Basilica of Santa Maria Amazing Firenze — A Cornell classmate expressed The city is artwork wherever you look. Frankly I find that true of many cities in Italy but this is an extremely beautiful city. This basilica along with the Duomo Have the design that is so closely identified with Firenze.

Flying tiger Amazing Firenze — People work gathered around some musicians and the restaurant. This restaurant has confirmed That tigers can fly

Peaky Blinders fan Amazing Firenze — It’s nice to see a fan of Peaky Blinders

Strozzi castle Amazing Firenze — I stopped for a fairly expensive cup of coffee in this palace. My great aunt changed her name to Strozzi From Strotz claiming we are the family of the great second family of Firenze, Great and close friends of the Medici. Kay Was an actress and it’s pretty clear she wanted to improve her public relations standing by changing her name. No one in the family has been able to show the lineage from the Strozzi Family but people keep searching.

The castle Bill Smale — The castle from the outside. It has these rings secured to the outside walls for horses to be tethered to

My standard coffee Bill Smale — My standard cup of coffee with Aqua Fizzante (sparkling waterj

Little Italy Bill Smale — This is not related to the palace. Actually this is my friends restaurant menu from Gila Bend, Arizona. He makes real Italian food. He and his wife are from Sicily, Sicilia. You can see their prices are very reasonable and gourmet pizza is Italian style pizza, not American style though the other pizzas are American style. Next time you’re in that town look up Little Italy restaurant and say hello to Nino and Antonella.

Jazz band Bill Smale — An old time jazz band

Duomo. I did not go in this time. It seemed to be a little bit too crowded

Behind Uffizi Galleries

Second David statue — This is not the real David statue. You have to go to The **Accademia Gallery of Florence** To see the real one

Interesting fountain animals — Interesting animals surrounding the fountain

Of course you need to have a Borsalino store

New trains — What amazed me is the trains now seem to run pretty much on time, not like even six years ago. And the new trains are all made by Hitachi.

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