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| Making a New Friend |
Everyone tells you to book your Uffizi tickets in advance. They are right. Even if it is a normal week day. EVEN if you are intending to get there at 8.15 am when it opens. The line stretched halfway to the Arno and didn't move for an hour which gave us plently of time to get to know the Australian couple in the queue in front of us. He went to school with a collegue of mine from Brigidine and I think I taught their daughter at Sceggs. Sydney is a small village, really. We plotted a better plan and pre-booked our ticket for noon and went to visit a nice Jewish boy in the Galleria dell' Academia. Unusual for a Jewish man to be so tall and have so much hair.
David is truly impressive - despite the "cliche" aspect of such a familiar image. We were equally fascinated by Michelangelo's unfinished sculptures in the same space, where the figures are half emerging from the block of marble. Unfortunately "no photos" is the catch-cry of the museo guards so we have very few images from today.
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| The only photo we were allowed to take in the Uffizi - out the window! |
We raced back to the Uffizi -with a brief unplanned detour into a tipica Firenzian paper shop (we are becoming collectors of sculptures by Riccardo Biavati). Despite having timed tickets we were horrified at the length of the line... until our new friends beckoned us to the front of the queue!! They had "saved" us a spot with them - us antipodeans must stick together. This was only the first of the three lines to be negotiated before you can even approach an Uffizian artwork. Who designed this system??
When we eventually made it in we saw some amazing art. Highlights included a great contemporary print exhibition, Atemisia Gentileschi and other Caravaggi-ists, the truly beautiful Botticelli "Annunciation" and "Madonna and Six Angels" and some gorgeous small portraits (not sure of the artists names - a bit of a blur.)
After the Uffizi, not to be outdone by her big sister, Jo bought a handbag (she is still one behind...). In order to stay ahead, Jen then bought a leather bracelet and necklace (she's the competitive type). Being Tuesday night we then went for dinner at Sushi with a crossword (We are Israeli dancing on the inside). Off to Lucca tomorrow.
If Jo would like to take the tantrum approach I recommend it - worked so well can't hurt to try and she too is cute curly and small(ish) but can't recommend trying the haircuts on her.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't fret too much about the olives I promise to provide a varied supply at the first brunch at my house after we all get back. Keep a saturday morning free for us and I'll throw in the fetta too!!
Oh and those unfinished sculptures at the Uffizi absolutely incredible they were our favourites too!!
ReplyDeleteAs well as Birth of Venus - one of my absolute faves! Was it showing when you went?
ReplyDeleteSo - having spent the day seeing some of the greatest art in the world you choose to mark the occasion by posing beside a Pinnochio gumball machine. Words fail me!
ReplyDeleteClearly you have missed the esoteric significance of the gumball machine seen as a reflection of the elastic nature of the interconnectedness of pop culture and High Art
ReplyDeleteShana - yes we saw Botticelli's Venus and Spring - there were LOTs of people in front of both but we wormed our way shamelessly to the front.
ReplyDeleteJenny/Jo: one
ReplyDeleteJames: nil