Anyhow, we met our guide outside of the Academy and we once again donned the Vox System so that we could all hear her.
Security at the museum was tight, so much so that cameras were not allowed to even be displayed, never mind used. We passed through a room that contained partially completed works by Michelangelo. Many scholars believe he left them in this incomplete condition purposely to show the technique he used to create his master works. One of his more famous works, "Quattro Prigioni" (the Four Prisoners), demonstrated his belief that his figures were trapped in the marble and his job was only to carve away the superfluous stone. It really was amazing to look closely at the work and see the chisel marks created there by Michelangelo himself.
We soon entered the room containing perhaps Michelangelo's greatest work, "David", an 18-foot tall, anatomically perfect nude male. It was breathtaking! Especially to the women. [I noticed that the women went around the statue twice, me included. haha]. It was incredible! The detail has to be seen to be believed. We all commented that some of the features, like hands and toes, seemed out of proportion to the rest of his body. However our guide told us that originally the statue was to be displayed high on a pedestal in the Piazza della Signoria and Michelangelo was compensating for the viewing angles from below. He’s a genius that he simply thought of everything. Amazing!!! It made his work even more of a marvel. It was impressive than I imagined it would be.
We were only in the Accademia for a little over 40 minutes and after a brief opportunity to visit the gift shop, we were back on the road to Sorrento.
Along the way, we stopped at the Commonwealth Cemetery in Cassino. It is a beautifully kept cemetery honoring the British, Australian and Canadian men who died defending this area. You could see the hills in the background and the Abbey of Montecassino at the top. Shona had explained to us how the Germans had held the position at the Abbey during WWII and the Commonwealth troops were sent in to try and take the position. They sustained extremely heavy casualties, and so we knew why we were stopping at the Commonwealth Cemetery. But nothing prepared me for the feelings that washed over me once we got there. The Canadian section appeared to be the largest contingent, with row upon row of gravestones marking young men aged 18, 19, 20 and the like. Just boys killed defending the freedom we enjoy today.
As we walked back, I thought it had seemed like a strange stop on such an upbeat vacation, but I‘m glad they took us there. It was a sober note on the trip, but it was a meaningful reminder of the sacrifices that were made in WWII.
From the cemetery, we went on to Sorrento. The drive down to the Naples area from Florence was uneventful if not long. We were told by Shona on the trip down that the driving in the southern portion of the country is not to be believed. And she wasn't lying. Right from the start you could see the difference in driving. People here were nearly suicidal in their tactics.
Thankfully, we arrived at our hotel, Grand Hotel La Pace, in one piece. The hotel is a marvel of architecture. It is "Fantasy Island meets the Palace of Versailles." It's ostentatious and over the top in its attempt to stun and impress. Just look at the pictures below:
After some rest, we then boarded our mini buses for the ride down to the Bay of Sorrento for our dinner. There was no way our motor coach could make that trip down the even narrower roads and very steep streets of Sorrento to get to the restaurant.
As a backgrounder, Sorrento, like many Italian resort cities, is built on a hill above the harbour. Visitors don’t come to Sorrento for history or cathedrals or historic strolls. It is an unapologetic resort town, parading fancy shops, exquisite views and rock-strewn beaches as its prime attractions. Traipsing around town can be a bit of nerve-wracking due to the large crowds and absolute lack of traffic signals in town, leading those who are brave enough to drive to do so at ridiculously high speeds and with little regard for pedestrians. However, it has a liberal view of what constitutes a beach – the coastlines are mostly just a strip of rocks jutting into dangerous configurations. That means most sunbathing is relegated to lying on deck chairs on long piers extending into the halcyon waters.
Nevertheless, the ambiance of the village down on the waterfront was exactly what you dream about. The seagulls were calling and the fishermen of the village were just returning from a day on the water.
Dinner was at a very nice seaside restaurant. The food was excellent and the ambience was amazing. There was also a keyboard player/singer who wasn’t that good. Or probably I’m just biased, having a singer for a husband. [haha] Anyway, he was selling his CD – as was the case anywhere we had entertainment.
Anyhow, the meal began with pasta and then a form of pizza bread. This was followed by real pizza on a long board that was displayed for us to review, then salad, followed by the main course [which was fish, it being a seafood restau], and finally dessert. I had a different entrée compared to the rest, so again, I was deeply impressed. What a wonderful evening to end a wonderful day!!!
……to be continued
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