Days 19-20: Tuesday, July 28 -Wednesday, July 29, 1998 This morning I woke everyone up to go to the Uffizi (museum). When we got there, the wait in line was about one hour. (which wasn't bad at all since it was in the shade). Outside the museum were several copies of important sculptures (as well as originals like the Neptune Fountain), the most famous being Michelangelo's "David." I didn't spend much time looking at it, probably because it was a copy, and a detailed look would be inaccurate. It was the same way with the "Gates of Paradise" on the Baptistery. Inside the museum, I recognized many of the artists, but few of the paintings from my (art history) classes. "The Madonna of the Goldfinch" by Raphael was noteworthy, as several by Leonardo da Vinci. There were also several portraits that I recognized, including that of Bia Medici. She was portrayed beautifully against a blue background. "The Venus of Urbino" was there too. The museum itself was also decorated with ceiling frescoes. The two main hallways were lined with sculptures and busts.

From there, Eric and Sam went back to the hotel to sleep and read. I can't seem to figure out why they aren't interested in seeing more sights, or at least hanging out in the city. The way I see it, I paid and went through a lot to get here, and I'm not going to spend the afternoons sitting around in a hotel room. Me and Dave went to the Palazzo Medici next. There we saw one of the main rooms, gilded with frescoes. We also sat in the courtyard for 1/2 hour. From there, we went to the Baptistery. Then, we went to a music store where Dave bought the new Rancid album, and I got the new Beastie Boys (Hello Nasty). We also went to the Medici family church, San Lorenzo. The apse was being renovated, but there was still plenty to see. We walked around the cloister courtyard. The second level was closed, as were the Medici chapels. We also went to Santa Maria Novella. There, I saw Masaccio's "Trinity" which is one of my favorite works. Unfortunately, I wasn't sure where to stand to get the true sense of (illusionary) perspective.

We went to get our last dinner together after sitting in the Piazza Santa Maria Novella for a bit. The night was cool and comfortable. Sam brought up his interest in leaving Europe on August 9th (3 weeks early). It didn't take long for Dave to decide to follow suit. I can safely attribute part of their ditch effort to their girlfriends (Eric had other reasons). Since I'm not homesick at all, the decision for me to stay and continue the trip alone was easy. We went to dinner at a pizzeria that had a garden terrace in the back. I ordered a big blonde Heineken which turned out to be a one lire (glass). Everyone else got water. After that, we went to the Dublin Pub where we drank pints of Guinness, Dark and Tan, and Strongbow (cider). The music included Bob Marley's "Legend" and a Tom Petty live album. It would be the last time we'd drink together in Europe.

Day 20

This morning we woke up early to avoid any lines at the Duomo. We ended up getting there around 10:30 AM, and waiting in line anyway. Eric, Sam, and Dave had to wait at the train station to reserve a spot on the train to Barcelona which ended up being full or too expensive anyway. So they're going to Nice at midnight. Meanwhile, I booked two nights at the Ostello Archi Rossi for 70,000 lire. The inside of the Duomo is not as spectacular as the outside. Dave and I went into the crypt, but it wasn't that interesting. We also climbed up 463 steps to Brunelleschi's cupola. The climb wasn't nearly as dark and tedious as the one in Prague. The view was beautiful, as was the architecture of the cupola itself. The view was definitely worth the cost. I don't know why Sam and Eric weren't willing to pay the 10,000 lire ($4).

I bought an erasable pen today. Hopefully, I'll be able to extend each Eurorail day by two to three times. Since I decided to skip Greece, I should be in good Eurorail shape. After Florence, it is on to Rome for three nights, then Venice for two to three nights. That will put me in Italy for two weeks. I think it will be a lot easier for me to do things by myself. And, once I get into a comfortable groove, the trip will go much smoother. The downfall, however will be a lack of company, and increased security concerns. I am planning/hoping to meet more people though. And if I can do that at hostels, I might pick up someone to travel with and/or go out with at night. Either way, I'm looking forward to sitting outside in the afternoons, watching/listening to the city around me. That is what I'm doing right now at the Duomo.

We split up for a couple of hours, and I went back to the Ostello Archi Rossi for an hour. There I met an Italian student who I talked to for awhile (later I find out that he had probably been high during our conversation which explains his craziness). The language barrier was there, but he knew English well, and I nodded a lot. It was cool that he mentioned Pennywise, NOFX, Bad Religion and Fugazi when I said I liked punk music. He reminded me (physically) of a friend of mine from college. I also went to the Palazzo Vecchio. It was a bit expensive for what I saw. Once again, there were a few giant rooms with amazing ceiling paintings and gilded frames. There was a sculpture by Donatello in bronze, "Judith and Holofernes." There was also a cute sculpture of a "Putti with Dolphin." I've grown to love the putti (angels). Therefore, I've begun photographing the ones I like.

We got back together and ate a bad dinner at a self serve place. Then I returned to the hostel where I met two more of my roomies, and started a load of laundry. My aim is to resurrect my stinky socks. I said good bye to Sam, Eric, and Dave. I'll survive, and have fun, but I'll miss them (double-edged sword). I am looking forward to the freedom.

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