Sunday 17 March 2013

Art Attack!


Today was filled with the wonderful sights of Florentine art! We first had the opportunity to feast our eyes on the monumental statue of David in the Accademia. Michelangelo truly deserves the centuries of adornment that he has received. Some of Michelangelo's sculptures were never finished so it allowed us a glimpse into his creative and remarkable process.

After this historic marvel, we continued our art-filled journey into the Uffizi museum. We explored the works of Caravaggio, da Vinci, Botticelli, and Raphael just to name a few. These works were a tremendous treat for any art or history student.

We had an afternoon to shop the markets and met at our amazing finale dinner. The dinner was made even more special because we celebrated Leanna's 17th birthday. She had a special sfoglia cake and received a little present from the group. What a way to spend your birthday!

Now the packing begins! Our journey ends tomorrow morning with our flight from Florence to Frankfurt and finally to Toronto. This has been an amazing trip, filled with history, celebrations, laughter, and countless memories. Thank you to our families for their continued support! We have a lot of stories and souvenirs to share!

We will be arriving in Toronto shortly!




































Saturday 16 March 2013

Frenzy in Firenze!


Today was our walk through historic and picturesque Florence! Walking around every corner reminds us of the rich history and artistic works that this city was built upon. We started our tour by weaving throughout the San Lorenzo Leather Market. Let the bargaining begin! 

Although we went by the iconic Duomo yesterday, we were able to tour inside today. What a remarkable cathedral with unique artwork and architecture. 

Our tour continued from the Duomo to the Accademia and the Uffizi museums. Tomorrow we will be venturing inside of these museums, but for now, there were many sculptures to explore just outside.

With the anticipation of these museums on our minds, we were quickly hit with another beautiful site, Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge). We were collectively relieved to hear that this was the only bridge in Florence that the Germans did not destroy during WWII.

The final place we toured was the Basilica of Santa Croce, also known as the Temple of the Italian Glories. This basilica is the burial site of historical and significant individuals such as Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Galileo. What an historical experience!

After lunch and some free time in the leather market, we went to mass in the Duomo. What a feeling to participate in mass in the historic Duomo!

We had another delicious dinner which was topped off by the world famous gelateria Grom. The only way to end an Italian meal is with a refreshing gelato! 

Tomorrow, we explore the Accademia and the Uffizi, especially Michelangelo's David!