Firenze {part 1}

I'm home. I'm back from the tiny world which I came to know so familiarly; the place called Florence, Italy.



     Where do I even begin? How do I describe the vibrant life of crowded city streets? How can I share the excitement of seeing ancient treasures?

          Art was everywhere. Frescoes, statues, bronze doors, chalk art on the sidewalk, inlaid marble -- they were all icons of beauty and legend; stories from the Renaissance brought to life.

     Armed with my trusty camera and journal, I'd walk down the streets observing tiny details and absorbing the sights and sounds, trying to capture the life of each moment.     

     One thing I failed to capture in my pictures was the sound. There were church bells clanging in the distance, pigeons cooing, ambulance sirens, people yelling and talking, the constant hum of mopeds zooming around, and strains of accordion music coming from every corner. All of it mingled together to create the atmosphere of busyness and moving ahead. 

     But sometimes, the bustling noise became too much. So I'd step into a small chiesa. Immediately, the pollution and motion of the streets would fall away to the peaceful silence of a stone church. It was refreshing to enter a safe haven where I could stop and collect my thoughts.

     

     Florence was fast-paced for a Missourian from the countryside, but I caught on quick and fell in love with my small taste of Europe! Don't worry-- I will be back for more. Nothing made me happier than to walk the cobbled streets of Italy and feel the exhilaration of exploring the globe.