It was a blast, though, and worth my being now even further behind in everything and having to teach for 10 hours today on four hours of sleep and jet-lagged all to hell. I'd been told by just about everyone that Florence was more fun than Rome, which after five days in the latter I thought couldn't be true. . . but, well, they were right. Dante! Michelangelo! Ferragamo!
I bought a beautiful green leather handbag. And a ring. And visted the temple of the master (see above). Drank Limoncello. Learned about Brunelleschi and Michelozzo and how to identify St. Peter Martyr in paintings. Concluded (unoriginally) that the Medici were pretty badass. And decided that I needed a teeny-tiny, single-volume edition of the Commedia to carry around with me at all times--like those old ladies on the subway with their New Testaments.
It's true that my Italian is just about good enough for me to translate newspaper horoscopes. But if I keep Dante in my pocket, surely that will all change.
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Updated 3/28/08
The purse (it's a brighter green than it appears in the photo):
The ring (which is Venetian glass despite my not actually having gone to Venice):
The itsy-bitsy Dante:
And heck: I wasn't going to post any photos from the actual trip (since I figure you've all seen pictures of Italy before), but this I couldn't resist. From the Piazza della Signoria:
10 comments:
Sounds like a wonderful, wonderful trip! Glad you're home safely, and take care of yourself for the next couple of days during "re-entry."
It does sound like an awesome trip - and I can't believe you bought a green leather handbag in Florence - I bought one there too - remember the one I posted from our trip last summer? Post pics, post pics!
Sounds lovely! And yes, I echo MW and call for pics --- and funny stories!
how does one identify St. Peter Martyr in paintings?
Welcome back! It sounds like a wonderful trip - any chance we get some pictures?
I have to say, you sound like my kind of traveler. I traveled around Europe with a good friend years ago who still laughs about the day we walked in The Louvre, I turned to him, said, "If you want to avoid bodily harm right now, I need some space. Meet back here in four hours," and walked off. He went his way; I went mine; we met back at the appointed time much better for the break. And we truly had a fantastic trip!
That DOES sound like a fabulous trip. Will we get to see pictures of the loot??
Also: axe in head, right?
Okay, okay! If I manage to get my life together this weekend, I may republish this post with pics at least of the bag and the ring--and maybe the teeny-tiny Commedia. MW, I'd forgotten about your bag, but went back through your archives and I think it's exactly the same color as mine!
And yes, TE: axe to the head. So Liza, usually he's got a freshly bleeding gash in the middle of his bald, tonsured head.
(And PhD Me: we could travel together any time!)
That bag is brilliant. You're clearly on the cutting edge of fashion--I meanwhile have been idly thinking "Hmm, perhaps I need a green bag." Now, of of course, I clearly need one.
Glad you're back. Hope spring comes to your snowy ville soon.
ok, that tiny dante is awesome! who doesn't need a little dante?! i love those small pocket books of the classics.
For what it's worth, Peter Martyr always has a big knife sticking in his head, with blood streaming from it.
I learned this in Bologna, whose patron saint (Petronius) can be recognized by the little Bologna he carries in a dish, complete with two towers (one leaning).
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