As much time as I love to spend in the downtown core of Florence, I find myself drifting away from the center just as often. All of the winding roads I walk encourage me to explore this place, right down to the intricate details of it’s fascinating culture. I notice many contrasts in this city and each of them seem to thrive off one another in order to keep this old city alive. The preservation of architecture throughout numerous centuries, the mass-consumerism and tourism flooding the downtown area, the diversity of ethnicities, and the love for artistic expression, whether it be from the renaissance or from artists much like ourselves. These traits can be found not only scattered throughout the city, but also colliding at one central point. The ringing strings of our guitars and beats of our bongo drum has helped us in meeting people from all over the world. The same place where people have worshipped for centuries, and the same spot where Brunelleschi overcame huge obstacles in the construction of his monstrous cathedral. It is in Piazza di Porta San Giovanni where the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore towers far above any other structure in Florence. The intricate detail of this cathedral is so incredible it almost becomes overwhelming, but for me it is the recent memories I have been fortunate enough to salvage that I will never forget.
No comments:
Post a Comment