Florence for a Day

Florence. Where to start with this one! Despite having been to both Lucca

and Siena, both of which are undeniably beautiful in their own way, Florence has become my favourite Italian city so far. It was in Florence that I first arrived and met the people I will call family for the next 6 months. That afternoon they had taken me for a brief walk through the city with a quick stop to have my first ice-cream (sorry, gelato!) in Italy. Having just had a 9 hour train journey, I was feeling pretty tired and it was all I could do to keep my eyes open and not trip over my own feet.

The next week I decided that going to Florence for a full day to explore the city properly was a MUST. After arriving I again as in Lucca collected a map from the tourist information centre, and again it was more as a keepsake for my diary than for practical use. Maps truly are incompatible with my brain (thank goodness for GPS!)



The Symbol of Florence

 

Not long after arriving, I had a little proud moment when I ordered a coffee without a word of English.

“Buongiorno! Un caffè espresso, per favore!” followed by, “Grazie!”

Not exactly tertiary level stuff but I couldn’t help smiling to myself all the same! As a new comer to Italy, or rather to drinking espresso coffees I did opt for sugar with it as it is currently the only way I can drink the stuff, nice as it truly is. However, as I sat there writing in my diary over my mini coffee I promised myself that before I left Italy I would be a no sugar espresso drinker!

Once the coffee had taken full effect I headed off (map in bag - naturally) down the middle of three street options ahead of me. Before too long I reached a large collection of street stalls. From a distance it looked like an explosion of colour, material and leather but as I got closer I began to see each individual store. At first I just kept thinking, there is so much leather! And there really was. The stores followed a pattern along the lines of scarfs, leather bags, masks, leather bags and belts, jewellery, leather bags, scarfs, leather jackets. You get the idea! I have always LOVED the smell of leather, and after ordering myself a leather pencil case online last year I would often smell it whenever I pulled it out in class. And now the warm, sweet, rich, elegant smell engulfed me. I closed my eyes and just breathed it in. Passing past each stall I stopped to feel the soft, smooth bags and the firm, textured belts. Each stall seemed to have more beautifully crafted items than the one before. Finally, dragging myself away from the colour, noise and smell of the market I promised myself I would return and buy myself a handbag, even if it meant that I would not be able to afford to get myself anything else for some time!

The Colourful Market

 

Beautiful Leather Belts Display

Scarf of Every Colour

Amazing Masks

Because I had decided to spend a full day in Florence and had not had the forethought to pack myself a lunch when it hit noon and my tummy began its periodic rumbling request for food, I had the task of choosing myself a restaurant. It could not be too expensive, and needed to be relatively healthy but still delicious. My decision was finally made as I walked past one of many similar looking square-side restaurants and noticed a group of women all eating vibrant looking bruschetta. I could almost smell the tomatoes and basil, and hearing the crunch of the bread as a bite was taken, I was sold. Sitting down at an empty table I checked the price on the menu (thankfully it was affordable!) and ordered my own bruschetta with some sparkling water. Without too much of a wait it arrived before me, even more colourful than I had expected and smelling twice as good. I took my first bite and an explosion of amazingness filled my mouth. It was prefect! The sweetness, coolness and freshness of the tomatoes with the subtle but undeniably present hints of basil and pepper that seemed to take turns presenting themselves on my taste buds. The bread was just as incredible with the crust hard and crunchy, toasted to perfection, and the middle soggy and soft from the juice of the tomatoes the flavour of which could just be made out in the bread itself. I have never had such an amazing bruschetta in my life, and if that is the standard here in Italy, I know I will be eating much more of it!

The Best Bruschetta

After lunch I found my way to Piazza della Signoria for the third time that day! It is the home of the Palazzo Vecchio, the Town Hall of Florence which also happens to feature in Dan Brown’s book, Inferno (not that I have actually read it yet, though living here makes me feel obliged to! Kindle store here I come!). While there are many beautiful squares throughout Florence including Piazza di Santa Crocethe, Piazza Santa Trinita and Piazza del Duomo home to the Basilica do Santa Maria del Fiore (Florence Cathedral), I kept finding myself being drawn back to this one in particular. Maybe it was the impressive Palazzo Vecchio itself which towers over and dominates the square and which I ended up sketching in my diary on a whim. Or perhaps the large statute of Neptune in the centre of his fountain. Carved to such detail that you could expect him to move at any moment and who seems to watch over the square, regal and strong.  Whatever the reason there was and is something about that square that kept me returning to it and no doubt will continue throughout my time here.



Florence Town Hall

Neptune atop his Fountain

Neptune God of the Sea

 

More Photos from Florence:

 

The Hero Hercules

 



Sculptures of Florence

Sculptures of Florence

 

Sculptures of Florence

View Along the River

 



Florence Cathedral

 

Florence Cathedral

 



It’s just so... Italian!

I have fallen totally and irreversibly in love with Italy. The language which sounds more like song than speech, the food which leads to taste explosions on your tongue, the people who talk as much with their hands as their mouth and end up yelling at each other to get across just how passionate they are about whatever they happen to be saying. This country is totally crazy, full of life and it feels exactly the place I should be.



Beautiful Sculpture in Lucca

My first, day long experience of an Italian city was in Lucca. Jumping on a train from Monticatini, I arrived 30 minutes later in Lucca and only 4.26 € poorer. I later learnt that Italian’s apparently love their cars, always wanting to drive instead of using the train, and so cheap trains are used as a motivation. And well, that’s fine by me!

Across the road from the station, you can see the city of Lucca, or rather the walls that surround it. They are the only remaining Italian city walls that can be walked around in their entirety, 4.2km in length, wide, very high and are impressive to behold. Grass lines the top width of the wall creating a place to sit and eat or just look at the view.

 

Walls of Lucca

Once I had walked through the gates I headed straight ahead in the approximate direction of the centre. Though I had purchased a tourist map I didn’t bother looking at it. I have always been useless with maps, having to turn them around and upside down multiple times just to figure out where I am. Getting from A to B proves even more of a challenge, so I decided to just walk and see where I ended up.



My First View of Lucca (after the walls!)

Before I had even arrived at the first “sight” I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the place. I just kept thinking, “It’s just so... Italian!” Everything I had ever seen in movies, or heard about was all there in front of me. Tall buildings lined the narrow, cobbled streets all in light browns, yellows, oranges and pinks with contrasting blue and green shutters. There were usually no footpaths, but if there were any, they were so narrow that few people bother using them anyway. The streets are a free for all, cars, bikes, pedestrians, vespers and even trucks (if they are not too wide!). Above me clothes hung from lines against the side of the house, and flowers poured over the window sills. As I took a photo of a clothesline full of clothes, I wondered how many peoples clothes feature in the collections of tourist photos, and how the owners of these clothes felt about them being made the subject of a stranger’s photo!



Even the doors are beautiful!

 

 

Somebodies Laundry!

 

  

 

 

 

Streets of Lucca

After about 10-15 minutes of slow walking in no particular direction the street opened up into San Martino Square. It was surprisingly empty, apart from a few Australians I had met on the train. Passing the large circular fountain, I headed for the large marble building that turned out to be Lucca’s earlier cathedral, the Church of San Giovani and Santa Reparata. It was a slightly odd structure, butted up against the neighbouring building, and with three outer arches, the first the same size, and the third much smaller. I have always been a fan of things being geometric and even, so I was unsure if I would like it or if they asymmetrical structure would annoy my OCD side too much. Nevertheless I paid my 3€ and headed inside, through the left-hand side. Inside it was geometric, and beautiful paintings lined the walls. After spending 5 or so minutes looking at these, I headed into the centre and came to a rather sudden stop. I had never seen anything like it. It was more than beautiful. It was magical. Two line of columns ran down the length of the Church towards the back, where an incredible painting filled the end dome. It depicted a scene from heaven, with gold light pouring from the centre, over the clouds and the people/angles who rested upon them. The painting was done with such skill that it actually looked like their feet were coming out of the wall down towards the floor and I half expected it to start moving. This would be my first experience of many churches that would time and time again take my breath away and make me wonder at the amazing things we humans can create.

  

 

 

Church of San Giovanni and Santa Reparata

 

 For the rest of the day I continued to wander the streets, letting them take me where they would; by the Church of San Frediano and San Michele Suare, into the oval Anfiteatro Square and through a colourful street market, at which I purchased a much needed pair of sunglasses. I had be blessed with a sunny and warm day, making a gelato stop inevitable. I chose strawberry flavour, and wow. It actually tasted like strawberries! It was full of flavour, not too sweet and perfectly cold! I savoured every spoonful, enjoying it more than I had an icecream in a while.



The Church of San Michele in San Michele Square

Anfiteatro Square

 

 

 

 

Street Market

 

 

I had a total of 5 hours in Lucca, and got to see so much of this amazing city but not nearly enough! If one thing is certain it is that I will being going there again to see it all again and keep on exploring.

 



 One of many bike in Lucca



Simply Beauty Throughout Lucca



Lucca Street Artists

 

 

 

Ordinary is Extraordinary

In previous posts I have gushed endlessly about European cities, their size, beauty and atmosphere. I thought that they would be what I would love most about Europe, but then I went to Heiligenberg to visit my Grandma and family. I cannot even begin to describe how absolutely amazing this area of Germany is. On the drive from the train station to my Aunt Emily’s house, we drove up little country roads with pear and apple trees in full blossom on either side. The blossoms were so numerous that you could barely see the branches behind the white, or white-pink petals. If each of these flowers turned to fruit, I am sure the branch would snap under the weight of it! I was told this was ‘farmer’s country’ and the further up the road we travelled the more I could see it. After the trees we passed into areas of vast paddocks, newly ploughed or with thick, lush green grass. And I mean really green. Dark and shiny, New Zealand green! But unlike New Zealand, there were no fences around the fields, the road just ended and the field began, giving the feeling that you were really right in the middle of a farm.

The In-Farm Feel (taken in a moving car!)

The In-Farm Feel (taken in a moving car!)

 

Emily’s house was near the top of a hill, and from the valley below looking up I could see a Castle nestled in the trees. It was a light shade of goldy-yellow with a black roof, a tower, and too many windows to count. Once we finally reached the house I realised we were just down the hill from the Castle, and in the morning, when I looked out over my breakfast muesli, I could see it from the window!

Castle View from Breakfast

Castle View from Breakfast

 The next five days pasted extremely fast, both due to the fact that I had decided to make myself a patchwork apron with the help of the extremely talented seamstress Emily, and that whenever anyone had to go anywhere, I would go along for the ride to see more of this beautiful countryside. Because I had come in spring, the beauty of the place was amplified. Previously bare trees were beginning to bud small, spring green leaves. Flowers filled every spare inch, with fields turned yellow from buttercups and dandelions. Tulips, daffodils and other colourful flowers I really don’t know the name of filling garden beds in front of clean, proud German houses. Emily once said to me, “I think Germans all try to compete with each other to have the nicest house, tidiest garden”, and I think she is right. Every house looked beautifully kept, wood stacked ridiculously precisely in neat lines, yards swept and flawlessly kept gardens. But oh, it made the area so beautiful!

Beautifully Kept Houses

Well Kept Village Fountain (it's Easter!)

Wherever we drove we past old, beautiful churches with high towers and bells that rung out over the land. Driving past them I would stare in wonder and gush at their beauty. Emily would just laugh, saying, “It’s just so ordinary for me!” I still find it so strange that castles on hills, old churches and these beautiful views can be ordinary. In saying that I guess that there are many things in New Zealand, the bush, waterfalls, and beaches that I also don’t give a second glance but that others, with fresh eyes, find amazing. I had often wished when I was younger that we had stayed in England instead of moving to New Zealand, but coming to Europe and finding the ordinary extraordinary totally makes up for ever not wanting to move!

Beautiful Church

Beautiful Church

Beautiful (tiny!) Church

However, undoubtedly the most extraordinary thing was the view from the house. On the first day I was there it was a bit cloudy, and so I could only make out the outline of the Swiss Alps that were apparently hidden amongst the clouds. But on the second morning, I woke early and decided to check of the clouds had cleared. Walking out onto the balcony I was just in time to see the Alps bathed in the pink light of the rising sun, clear without a cloud in view. I was truly speechless. They were HUGE! Again I found myself thinking the obvious. I knew mountains were big, but these were amazing. Naturally, I whipped out my camera to take a photo and couldn’t help being disappointed as the picture came out far less amazing that they really were. The harsh cuts of the mountain side, the lines of snow and rock, the particular red-pink sunlight that turned them a deep rose-pink colour that looked so beautiful and wild in real life seemed far tamer in the photo.

Those HUGE Mountains

 

Those HUGE Mountains
 

Mountains in the Morning Sun

 More Photo's From Heiligenberg:

 

True Beauty of Nature

Dogs Playing in the Sun

 

The Feel of Spring

 

The Feel of Spring

 

Money Making Genius

This week I again was unsure of what to write, but seeing as I had that excuse last week I knew I had to come up with something ‘proper’ this week. When Antonia and I decided to go to Hamburg Zoo on Sunday, I was incredibly relieved. I could write about that! However, once I was at the zoo, I just wasn’t feeling it. Again it was not that it wasn’t amazing, I was fascinated by just how human the Orang-Utans acted, using blankets when they lay down, or staring at nothing, leaning on their long arms. Looking through the cage at the Leopard was incredible, seeing it’s beautifully kept fur with it’s bright blacks, browns and oranges. But I was seriously worried it would not make writing material, as when I write I want to feel passionate about it, or else it tends to come across incredibly dull. But then I saw an animal that changed it all.. 

 

Those Human-Like Orang-Utans

 

I had given up reading the signs, as there were no translations and I cannot read German. Antonia led me down into an aquarium looking building made to look like the Poles, with rocks covered in ice. I assumed we were going to see penguins. Penguins are cute, but I wasn’t exactly bouncing off the walls with excitement. I had seen heaps in New Zealand, booth in aquariums and in the wild. When we got to the first window there was a massive crowd. Again I thought, ‘Come on people, penguins aren’t THAT cool.’ But then I saw, over the heads of the fascinated children, what they were all looking at so eagerly. A big, beautiful, white head broke through the water. His massive paws reached out to the rocks on the water’s edge, and slowly he pulled is heavy body from the water before shaking off the water like a dog. I had never seen a real polar bear in my life, and there one was, closer than you would ever be able to get to one in the wild. I was determined to get as close to him as I could, so I waited for the children to slowly peel away from the glass until I was right up the front. The window was about two metres high, about one metre was above water, and one below. By now the polar bear was back in the water. He swam past the window to the edge of his pool, did a tumble turn and pushed off with his strong legs, swimming right past the window, so close he was almost touching it. His white fur looked magnificent as it moved through the water, glossy and shimmering, standing out in the murky blue. His dinner-plate sized paws moved lazily through the water, moving him far faster than his slow stroke would suggest. Up until that point I was sure (since going to Auckland Zoo last year) that my favourite animal was tigers. But seeing this bear, beautiful, cute, cuddly and yet at the same time majestic and frightening, tigers were moved firmly down to second place. There is no doubt in my mind after seeing one in real life, that polar bears are the most amazing animal in the world, and undoubtedly my new favourite animal!

 

 

Polar Bear - The Most Incredible Animal

After the polar bear I was pretty sure that nothing there would be better. I could not have been more mistaken! After eating lunch by the giraffes and  buying a Kinder Surprise filled crepe, we headed over to the elephants. There were at least 7 (I actually forgot to count!) both adults and babies. I knew that we were able to feed them, and we had brought food to do so, but I had not really thought about what I would actually be doing. Feeding the elephants was the most fun I have had in a while (and trust me, that’s saying something!) They had become quite the experts at balancing their weight so that they could lean across the large gap between them and us (public), stretching out their nose as far as it could go to suck the food onto their nose before feeding it to themselves. Antonia and I took in turns feeding, while the other would reach out and stroke its nose. I’m not sure what I expected an elephant’s nose to feel like, I don’t think I had even really thought about it, but it was like nothing else. It was very solid and rough, the end wet, covered in saliva from its mouth. You could tell just from touching it that it was an extremely strong muscle, and would have no difficulty in picking large objects (people included!) Feeding them was already incredible, but what really blew me away was their money making scheme, that worked flawlessly. If you were to hold out a coin to the elephant, it would take it from you and walk over the nearest handler and give him the money! It is such a brilliant way to make a bit of money because seeing an elephant recognise a certain object as money and to give it to the handler is so, well, cool that you just want to do it again, and thus keep giving money!

 

Feeding the Elephants

 

 

Money Making Elephants!

 

 

 

So in the end, Hamburg Zoo did give me material to write about, and I absolutely LOVED going there. There were so many other amazing animals to watch and interact with and there is no doubt, if I ever have children and take them to Hamburg, that I will being taking them to the zoo to see it all, but mostly to feed the elephants!

 

More Zoo Photos

  

 

 

Otters (the cutest animal alive!)

 

Baboons and Babies

 

Giant Giraffes 

 

 

 

Zebras (as sweet as ever!)

 

Pink Flamingos and Cherry Blossom

 

 

Lazy Lions