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We have touched 2,000 years of history.

We have walked in the footsteps of Ceasars and Popes; some of the most talented and influential artists, and some of the most powerful families in history. We are humbled.

We made it out of Venice and on to Florence without any major problems. Oh, except that I came down with a head cold our last day in Venice. It lasted most of our time in Florence, but it never got so bad that I couldn’t get out and enjoy things. And being on cold medicine and drinking in a foreign country is always fun. (Especially when you climb a really big hill at sunset then proceed to drink La Biere du Demon (yes, Demon Beer), the world’s most alcoholic beer. That was a fun trip back to the hotel.)

Sarah and I agree that Florence was our favorite part of the trip. It is a city, but not a throbbing metropolis (like Rome). It is tightly packed, but not too large, with motorbikes whizzing in and out of people and cars.

From our hotel, a straight 10 minute walk south led us past the Accademia Gallery (home to Michelangelo’s David) to the steps of the Duomo. We sat on the steps on night talking of the art and architecture that we’d had seen, and realized that hundreds of years ago Michelangelo, Da Vinci and Dante did the same thing, on the very same steps. And in that same church (Santa Marie del Fiore) the Medicis worshipped.

The interior of the Duomo isn’t as grand as some other places — like Basilica di Santa Croce, whose interior holds the tombs of Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Galileo, Machiavelli, Dante and others — but the outside is beautiful. And climbing up through the dome to its top is just damn fun.

One of my top over-looked stops is right out in front of the Duomo — the Baptistry. People note it for Ghiberti’s doors, but the interior was astounding. Every section of the octagonal building from floor to ceiling is painted with biblical scenes. Truly one of my favorite stops. And for a couple of minutes Sarah and I were the only ones in it!

Of course seeing David was fantastic. All of the pictures you have seen combined can not do justice to this statue. For one, its sheer size is imposing (he stands some 17 feet tall). The subtle details that Michelangelo worked in his sculptures is impressive. You can see the difference in muscle tension in his legs, as most of his weight is on his right foot. That foot presses out onto the marble floor,while the toes of the left foot are more compacted since there is little weight on them. Then, look up into his eyes. I never noticed it in any picture but David looks apprehensive. You can see that he is looking off into a crowd, looking for someone to show him what to do. There is slight confusion in his gaze; a certain unknowing of what he is about to do.

The other real treat in the Accademia are Michelangelo’s incomplete Slaves. You can see the chisel marks indicating what and where he was cutting and shaping. Unlike the life that David has, these still seem to have some life of Michelangelo left in them. You can almost see him working on them.

Of course, we also went through the Uffizi Gallery. Never in my life did I imagine that I would gaze upon so many original Lippis, Botticellis, Da Vincis, Caravaggios, Rembrandts, Rubens, Raphaels, et al. Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Alegory of Spring stand out as my favorites.

Next stop, Rome.