An early start for a Zoom body corp meeting which for me was at 7 am, not helped by the fact I couldn’t get the coffee machine to work.
Only a brief downtime after that for breakfast, and then headed across town for my tour of the Uffizi Gallery. I was late for that too, with more technological difficulties: I hadn’t been able to successfully download the accompanying audio guide app. However, the young person who was the tour representative had clearly dealt with people like me before, and she had the old app deleted in a hot minute and was downloading some different version with that youthful sleight of hand that I’m just going to have to get used to from now on I guess. I then joined the heaving mass of humanity that was the 09:45 to 10:00 window of people waiting to get into the museum. Note that this is Florence as it heads into the quiet tourist season. Summer must just be ghastly.
I spent a couple of hours wandering around the gallery, following the audioguide. Actually it’s the only museum I can think of that directs visitors on their path, rather than letting them aimlessly wander, which is probably a good thing. As it was, there was enormous queue outside one room that I just bypassed in the end. There was no shortage of splendours to see and there was no way I was going to be able to see everything. Even so, it seemed shocking that the audio guide skipped many rooms full of artwork at a time. I’m glad it did though, otherwise I’d still be there.
Highlights for me were: this picture of the Madonna with Jesus and two angels which was painted by Father Filippo Lippi and actually uses as models a nun whom he seduced and their illegitimate son (the angel with the cheeky grin)
These two Botticelli’s:
They were very popular. No one noticed my matching shoes.
One of the few paintings by a woman. It depicts a scene from the bible but honestly I’m feeling it, sister.
I liked this one so much I bought the fridge magnet:
Actually one of my favourite sections was a collection of self portraits through the ages.
By now I had museum fatigue and although the gift shop revived me briefly, what I needed was some carbs and a sit down. I got both at a nearby osteria where I had a vegetarian toasted sandwich made with the local schiacciata bread (just don’t call it focaccia).
I’ve been looking for a pair of long tan leather boots for months and I thought Florence would be the place to buy them. Alas, it seems Spain is better for footwear. I’ve had no luck here so far but I will keep looking.
Back to my apartment for a break and then I set off again with my trusty Portuguese umbrella into the Florentine rain for a food tour I had booked. I’ve enjoyed the ones I’ve done this trip, much more interesting than just a history tour as you get more of a feel for how the locals live. There were eight of us on the tour, everyone was lovely and friendly, especially after a couple of glasses of alcoholic beverages, a Chianti and a digestive called vin santo, that you are supposed to dip your sweet cantucci bread into. A bit more interesting than dipping your gingernut biscuit into your milo of an evening. The other things we tried were a homemade chicken liver pate and a mushroom sauce on bread, another schiacciata, and finally a gelato. Lovely.
I wended my way slowly back through town, trying on the occasional boot, and listening to the many buskers that are of excellent quality. I came across a jazz band, and two opera singers (not all together).