Uffizi

The Ponte Vecchio and the Arno from the Uffizi Gallery

We are in Florence; it is the birthplace of the Renaissance; it was home to the Medici; it was where Michelangelo was raised.  Today all these confluences came together for us. We visited the Uffizi in Florence, which was built by Cosimo Medici as an administrative building, which holds works by Michelangelo whose birthday is today. The Uffizi houses one of the largest and best known collections of works of the Italian Renaissance.  Many, many of which came from the Medici collection.  It really takes the better part of a day to peruse the entire collection.  And, that is too much looking to really appreciate specific works.  There were stand outs for us that you will see in flickr.  We took a lunch break on the roof top cafeteria.  It offers great views of the Palazzo Vecchio in the Piazza Signoria.  

Again, there was not a line of visitors waiting to enter the gallery nor were there significant visitors in the gallery rooms.  This was a great situation for us, offering long viewing times with pieces normally swamped by people.  There were, of course, those people who step in front of you to take a picture and then move on. I've watched people stand in front of a magnificent painting viewing it only through their cell phone as they took several pictures. Then, without a look at the painting with their EYES, move on to the next photo opportunity.  Lots of art at flickr.

Observations of two visitors.
   Christy is beginning to talk with her hands.