The top of the world...

Today dawned hot and bright. I'm ever so grateful for the air-conditioning in the bedroom , but I shudder to think of the cost! Ah well. Sleeping well might just be worth it. After a brief breakfast I headed to the Duomo. It seemed best to scale those heights before the heat of the day. The cupola of the Duomo is reached by a long, steep ,spiral stone staircase. The very top is over 300 feet from ground level, so it's a bit of a climb. The breathtaking views of the city and light breezes were worth the long climb, though. And along the way you transfer from the inside of the dome with its ceiling frescos of hell and the devil (brrr...scary enough to frighten anybody into virtuous behavior) to the outer much narrower staircase leading to the very top. Numerous photos later, and I was ready for the descent and a brief nap before having lunch and venturing out to the Uffizi. The Uffizi is just around the corner from the apartment, so I felt safe napping before heading there...it takes less than 5 minutes to walk over. A Firenzi card gets you in to all the main museums and attractions here, and is good for 3 days from start of use. Today I activated my card and stepped into the fabulous Uffizi museum. The Uffizi houses hundreds of paintings, nearly all of a religious nature. Some of my favorites were a gorgeous rendition of the Visitation showing Mary as a very young girl, with the Archangel Gabrielle leaning towards her. It's the classic pose, but the expressions on both their faces is stunning. Mary looks almost passive, but not quite. More accepting. And there is a wisdom in her young eyes beyond her years. The angel is remarkable; leaning forward with great intensity, and there is a movement about the piece that is difficult to describe. My other favorite was the only rendition of the Madonna and child where Jesus actually looks like a beautiful little baby boy. He's lying down on blankets laid over straw, with Mary leaning over him and reaching down as if to pick him up. The look of delight on her face is that of a young mother for her first born, but in her eyes there is just the barest hint of sadness too, as though she already knows what lies ahead. Amazing place, the Uffizi, with more art in one place than I've ever seen. A wonderful afternoon! Dinner was a more modest affair, but still deLightful. I opted for a little family style restaurant across the Ponte Veccio which served excellent steak, passably good chianti, and a salad. Then back to my little apartment for bed!