The Rainbow Trail in Florence
This past weekend I had the most fantastic day and Firenze is now my favorite city in the world! Some American friends and I originally wanted to go because the annual Chocolate Festival is happening throughout February. So, Friday we made the decision to go and on Saturday morning I woke up at 5:40am to catch the cheapest train (8 euros!) from Bologna to Firenze. The train ride itself was spectacular- the countryside of Tuscany is stunning.
Once we arrived, we realized nothing was open yet. So, we stopped in the main piazza for a typical Italian breakfast: cappuccino and brioche. After an hour, we walked to Fume Arno (the main river) and saw Ponte Vecchio- Florence’s oldest bridge and the only one that was not destroyed in World War II. The sun was out and we kept lapping over the bridges and water ways and we found ourselves in Piazza della Signoria- where one of the most famous sculptures in the world, Michelangelo’s Davide, was originally located (and now stands a replica). Then, we walked back into the main piazza to see the huge Piazza del Duomo: including Santa Maria del Fiore (Florence Cathedral) and Giotto’s Campanile (belltower). The exterior façade is gigantic and elaborate- and when I walked into the Cathedral I was in awe… the mosaics were brilliant and as you walk down the center isle a sense of reverence came over me as if I knew I was in the Lord’s house. The inside of the dome, high above the altar, was an enormous work of 750 sq ft of painted surface a fresco entitled The Last Judgement. It was spectacular.
After going through the cathedral, my friends Kiki, Emily, Genevieve, and I went to the Chocolate Festival!! We walked through the tents two times, grabbing samples from the top 20 chocolatiers of Italy and then decided it would be best to get lunch and then return for a third round to actually buy our favorite chocolates. So, for lunch we went to a local café, where I got a classic caprese salad. Back at the festical I bought a cannoli, white chocolate hot chocolate, and a jar of pistachio-white chocolate spread to bring back for my flatmates and I to enjoy. Italian Hot Chocolate: It is the best things on your taste buds. Mmmm it is so good- I’m convinced, that all they do melt the finest chocolate bars and add milk and whipped crème. Also, for dessert treats I love the pistachio fad here. I now understand why the Europeans who into our Cypress Bakery stores as Seaworld (Where I worked last summer) would be so disappointed when they walked in and saw we didn’t offer pistachio…
Anyways, by 2:30 we started heading to a lookout to see the entire skyline of Florence. But, on the way there, I was so amused by what I saw in Piazza Signoria. Since 8am, the piazza transformed into a market and a funhouse: there were tents, food, clothes, leather stands, a Grand Carousel with a queue, an opera singer, a string quartet amped up… Oh, my eyes could not take it all in- so I got a little sidetracked, kept my feet moving, and ended up at the section of the market just for leather (something Florence is known for). After bargaining with a cute old Italian owner (and feeling more confident in my language skills), I left the market holding a gorgeous, new, made-in-Italy, ostrich-leather bag, modeled after my dream purse: the Hermes Birkin bag, which I will never realistically own.
So, my group moved forward, up the inclined trail to see the skyline: my belongings heavier and my wallet lighter. Then, we arrived at Piazza Michelangelo. I want to live there, on that piece of cement, and worship God there, for the rest of my life. After the moments of trying to soak in what I was seeing, hearing, stepping on, believing in, a pandemonium broke out- the sun had clouded over by noon and now it was 3:30 and raining! Others scattered, but my body felt magnetically attracted to this place, the view, and I stood there. Bellissima. My friends called for me to leave so I followed, so happy, and then the best thing that could end our time in Florence emerged: a double rainbow. A bright, fantastic, double rainbow all the way. Some would say magical, but I call it a magnificent work of God. Oh, how my heart was full; all glory be to Christ our King.
