Florence – The start of our Italian journey….
Family photo from the Ponte Vecchio Bridge
April 27, 2012
My first day in Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance. This city exists as a living museum and has been home to many of the greatest artists and thinkers in the world, including Michelangelo and Galileo.
Our first Italian meal was at I’Vivano, owned and operated by a very friendly couple whose talent instantly made it clear why Italian cuisine is world famous. I delighted in the homemade, not manufactured, flavours of the risotto. There is no substitute for fresh ingredients devoid of polyethylene flavoring.
Cattedrale Santa Maria del Fiore colloquially know as “the Duomo"
The Last Judgement – Ceiling Fresco of The Duomo
We spent the day touring around the famous core of the city, which only takes about 45 minutes to circuit. However, you could spend endless days wandering the museums that are home to renowned works of art like Michelangelo’s David or Galileo’s reality-altering telescopes. The main cathedral was an architectural feat to marvel at, but it wasn’t long before we were drawn back to the outdoor museum that is the main square, where we enjoyed coffee and watched the show of everyday Florentine life. The main square houses the imitation David along with several other statues that were being stored constantly into the neuronal and digital memories of hundreds of tourists.
The imitation David. After seeing this I could not convince my dad that there was any point to seeing the “real” one.
I am just as guilty as my observation that a great number of tourists spend more time capturing the images digitally rather than appreciating the glimpse of history with their own eyes.
We strolled along the river, enjoying the radiant beams of the sun. There was a group of locals enjoying the day alongside the weir, and we joined them to enjoy doing “no-thing” for a while.
Our next stop was the famous Ponte Vecchio Bridge, which we quickly vacated to escape the chaotic vibe created by the packed tourist shops.
Ponte Vecchio Bridge
Supper was consumed at Circus Restaurant in the main square. We were fortunate to have a very friendly Cuban waiter, and his jovial manner combined with the delectable cuisine was the perfect finish to our day.
April 28, 2012:
Today marked another day of travel as we moved from Florence to Levanto in the Cinque Terre National park.
We packed our bags and left them under the “secure” table in the central room so we could tour around Florence before catching the train. Being creatures of habit, we visited I’Vivano for breakfast for the second consecutive morning. The restaurant’s husband-and-wife business partners, who usually alternate days taking care of their children and running their business, greeted us again. The music emanating from the stereo forged another connection to the Italian soul through captivating voices, such as Lucio Dalla and Vasco Rossi.
A few of the many recreational fisherman, reminding me to slow down to the pace of the peaceful river.
The familial unity in European culture constantly reminds me that family is the most important part of life. The fortunate reality that we are all interconnected allows us to create a family bond with any other human we feel a loving connection to—one that runs much deeper than blood.
The sun beat down on us, and as we tried to find shade among the concrete jungle it was hilarious to notice the locals dawning full winter gear. Everything, even body temperature, is relative.
On our train ride, Tom, Reid, and I sat in opposing seats, allowing easy conversation and a shared experience of the magnificent Italian countryside passing by. I was happy to be able to verbally share my excitement for ancient stone structures instead of jotting symbols in my journal. Our Italian tour, which was seemingly developing by the moment, turned out to be the best travel plan; it kept us open to adventure and free from expectations, allowing us to enjoy whatever happened to surprise us on our path.
Traveling with my dad and brother makes everyday an experience I want to cherish forever. The concept of time, largely controlled by your own perceptions, can lose all meaning when it is devoid of watches and phones and instead simply ruled by the belief that you are where you are meant to be.
That is, until your train is delayed…then it’s time to rush off the platform, traverse concrete tunnels, duck under various tracks amidst the sound of screeching trains, and finally find the ticket office to inquire where I’m supposed to be…I just need to keep developing my patience. It’s funny how some of the hardest challenges to maintaining a calm state of mind arise from everyday tasks—especially public transport. Life is a training ground!
There is nowhere else that I have traveled where people are so stereotypical, but the Italians fit expectations in a very positive and satisfying way for my tourist mind. Their fashion obviously demands focused thought and attention to detail, particularly the fresh kicks they are famous for. Their pleasant accent is melodic.
The romantic feeling that traveling a foreign country evokes stems from returning to an infant-like mind: encountering completely new visual stimulation and unfamiliar speech. What a blissful feeling to just enjoy being a witness of the universe.
