We went to the sculpture display in front of the Duomo. Lots of lions, and a pedestal with four Venuses with multiple breasts (we should all be so lucky).
Several statues of Hercules doing violent things.
What I am drawn to is the whimsical creatures that were used just to fill up space - the goats, gryphons, and grotesques.
The River Arno was scenic and the overlook crowded. Many artists had stands with art ranging from crap to very nice. I was tempted by a botanical drawing of a fuchsia. Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) where we were headed, has dozens of rooms bulging out from the walls of the bridge. It was crammed with jewelry stores and one beggar.
Along the streets are pushcarts filled with tourist items such as handbags or pashminas. They have a single axle and around midnight, they're pulled through the streets by muscled vendors. They open out to have walls, an awning, a table, and drawers under the table.
We spent the afternoon in the gardens of the Pitti Palace. Gravel paths wind under olive arbors, and the more open vistas are crunchy with statuary. You can see the hills of Tuscany over the red tile roofs of the city.
We spent the afternoon in the gardens of the Pitti Palace. Gravel paths wind under olive arbors, and the more open vistas are crunchy with statuary. You can see the hills of Tuscany over the red tile roofs of the city.
We saw green lizards in the knot garden and sat on a forbidden flower-dotted lawn to draw.
In the evening we wandered about, seeing Middle Eastern grocery stores, smooching teenagers, a plaza with a palace. The plaza hosted an encampment of gypsies, with long skirts or vest and white shirt and large mustache, who were sleeping in bedrolls propped against the wall. Florence at night is just as awake as Venice, but the people seemed younger, from high school through young adult. Lots of motorcycles, lots of walking around in the middle of the street and moving aside only when the cars got very close.
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