Florence, Italy
6/22/01 - 6/25/01

E-mail excerpt #1 from Florence
I arrived safely in Florence this morning and got situated easily at the hotel. My room is near the Duomo on the first floor, with a wonderful view of a brick wall. There is also a construction zone, with the fumes of paint coming in my room and lingering about. I don't have a television or a refrigerator, and there doesn't seem to be any air condition either. However, its not hot, and it will probably be even chilly this evening. Its actually not as bad as I make it, and it will do fine for a short stay.

After I briefly situated myself, I sat outside in a nearby shaded cafe and watched the hordes of people heading towards the world-famous Duomo, as I sipped on some American wine (Coca-Cola) and small pizza. Afterwards, I followed the crowds and checked out the church and the incredible Duomo. The interior of the dome displays the world's largest painting of the "Last Judgment" (the dome was created by Brunelleschi and the Last Judgment was painted by Vasari and Zuccari) that is similar in its awesomeness to the one done by Michelangelo at the Sistine Chapel. After I was through there, I decided to wait around for a while and wait in line to climb the dome. Its a staggering 463 steps up to the top and every one is accounted for - believe me! The view from the dome was well worth the mere 10,000 Lire it costs to climb the steps ($5). I lingered at the top for nearly an hour, as the alternating sun and clouds cascaded off the Italian countryside, and the dramatic remnants of the afternoon swelled over the mountains and melting slowly off the distant hills.

A castle and several distant churches dotted the green acreage, including one reached solely by Bus#72, which my friend Gil recommended I take. It's the Franciscan monastery that overlooks the city, and one can get there for less than 2 dollars. However, I have experience with taking buses to unknown destinations that has me antsy and unwilling to wager several hours. Besides, the view from the Duomo is more than enough panorama for me.

My time here in Rome and Florence has been a special one. It has been a relaxing change from the hectic and life-threatening feeling that I felt in Israel and Egypt (I'll explain about Egypt later - actually, I felt safer in Israel than I did in Egypt.) Here, it almost feels like America. . . at least you can make out a street sign or two and it is not difficult to find American tourists, so you can at least feel lost together. In Israel and Egypt, you can't find your way. You ask yourself, "does that look like the Arabic design I'm looking for?"

However, back to America; for example, I hung out with 2 girls for a while, when I was up in the Duomo who just graduated from George Washington University. So, I feel much more at home here, and its alot easier to get around and understand things, and run into people who speak English. However, nothing, and I repeat nothing, is easy about International travel. Every good connection I make (by good connection, I mean one that does not leave me stranded in Bangkok) I thank God for, and feel more confident about the possibilities that I might make it back to the US afterall!

I will be here in Florence for 2 more days, and then I'm off to Venice, which is a transportation nightmare. In Venice, you can't walk or call a taxi if you get desperate. There are no taxis!! There are no streets!! Anyway, lease pray that I get there OK. I don't know if I will be able to find an Internet connection in Venice, but, we will see. Then, I have a very critical overnight train to Geneva that I simply MUST make, or I will be in big trouble. So, please pray for that.

E-mail excerpt #2 from Florence
After I wrote my last email to you all yesterday, I left the email center behind the Duomo and started walking back to the town center. The sun was beginning to set and the clors of the dome were coming out, so I decided to make a trip out to the Ponte Santa Trinita, the bridge directly across from the Ponte Vecchio. So, i stopped behind the Duomo at a nearby gelati house, and picked up an Italian ice, and headed on over to the Arno River. There I caught the last hour of one of the most awesome sunsets over the Ponte Vecchio. I just sat there on the bridge and watched the sun set as I lapped up a very flavorful ice, which is an Italian specialty as you all know. I don't make many good decisions, but that was certainly one (click here to see photos from this susset at the Ponte Vecchio).

There is still much to see in Florence, but I am not rushing things. You could be here a couple of weeks and not see everything. Tomorrow is Sunday, but it will be my museum day, as I hope to see several of the better ones. I will probably miss several of the good ones, but I needed today bad! It was my ultimate day of relaxation.

You may download my Europe 2001 screensavers at Webshots

• Rome, Italy
• Florence, Italy
• Pisa/Lucca/Tuscany, Italy
• Venice, Italy
• Geneva, Switzerland
• Versailles, France
• Paris, France

• Back to Egypt
• Back to Israel