Dave the Nomad

This is arguably the most crucial place in the history of the Renaissance with the support of rich families and home to over a third of the most influential artists of the time. Due to this, there are a lot of great sights to see. I took the recommendation of some travelers I met and stayed at a hostel called, PLUSFlorence. I should really say lavish resort. For the price of other hostels, PLUS also provided a pool, workout area, sauna, bar, cafeteria, and three rooftop terraces. It was a spectacularly nice space, and a short walk to the old city.

I spent my first day wandering around the market area trying a variety of cheeses and dried fruits, watching hawkers run from police, and taking in the overwhelming smell of leather products. Be careful here, the police go after the people who buy fake merchandise versus the people who sell it. I guess it makes sense to take the money from the people who can afford it. After a bit I wandered over to the cathedral. The outside of the church is much more impressive than the inside with its distinctive green and white stone facades, and is just one instance of amazing architecture in Firenze. I wandered down streets and plazas filled with statues by famous artists, and of famous Renaissance people. They look much better than the dressed up versions I remember from the presentations made by my sixth grade classmates.

Ponte Vecchio is one of the other three shop filled bridges in the world. It was originally occupied by butchers, and when the royalty took over, they decided to kick all of butchers out and fill them with goldsmiths. They also built a covered walkway on the top of the shops so they could cross the river without having to mingle with the general public. A bit ostentatious, but the bridge is still filled with lavish gold jewelry, and has a great view of the river below.

My final stop in Firenze was my namesake, David. A bit pricey for the entrance fee, but well worth it. It is truly an amazing piece of art, and is fascinating to realize he completed it when he was only 29. I wonder what kind of world we would live in today if each person strive to out do Michelangelo by the time he or she was 29? Well, not in sculpture of course, but rather in whatever field it is we find interesting. A lofty goal at best, and I digress.

I called home from Firenze to wish my dad a happy birthday. What a nightmare! My phone was acting strange, skype wasn’t connecting, and I couldn’t buy a phone card to use. Which means after several hours I ended up making a classic collect call home. It was good to say hi and catch up even though I was a bit frustrated by the time I finally got through.