There and Back(pack) Again:
Chapter 3: Drive-Thru Culture

Our first full day in Florence was dedicated primarily to the Uffizi Gallery. We had both heard so much about it and its infamously long lines that we prepared to be there well before it opened. That didn’t happen, and we had a solid 2 ½ hour wait. This provided us with plenty of opportunities to acquaint ourselves with our fellow tourists-in-waiting, including (but not limited to): the newlywed couple and their incessant PDA, the trashy American high school girls who were dressed for Nascar’s finest, and the awkward-sense-of-humor Germans (allow me to elaborate: after I had cut my hand on a water bottle – don’t ask – I was holding my hand above my head to stop the bleeding. At which point the German father jokes: “White power!” Too soon?). Finally, our turn came and we were let in to one of the finest museums in the world.

We spent a solid three hours in the Uffizi, and it still wasn’t enough (although it never is). As we were about to leave, it came to my attention that we had somehow missed the Boticellis and Da Vincis (even though they were right near the entrance). So, we backtracked through the entire museum, because I was not leaving without seeing the Birth of Venus or La Primavera. It was well worth it.

Since we hadn’t eaten all day and it was already 14:00 (or 2:00 PM for you bourgeois Americans), lunch was in order before we trekked over to the Duomo. At this point, Elizabeth and I learned something about the metric system: namely, our total lack of understanding. If we had considered the situation more carefully, we might have realized how much a liter of wine actually is (NB: most bottles are .75 L). However, we were impatient and it was cheap. So, we were a tad tipsy… at 3:00 in the afternoon… in a cathedral. Meh. If you think that’s the most sacrilegious thing I’ve done, you don’t know me at all.

When we returned to the hostel, we finally met some fun hostel-mates hanging around. Soon, the “Firenze Posse” was born. This included (other than my sister and me) Jen, from California, Sara, from Canadia, and Frank and Josh from Pennsylvania. Soon we left for the pub, had a few rounds, a few great stories, and an all around good time. One of the best things about traveling around had to be the great people we met.

The next day, Sara, Liz, and I woke up early to check out the Galleria del Accademia to see Michelangelo’s David. The other guys were going to join us, but we think they decided to sleep in instead. Anyway, we were expecting another few hours in line, so we arrived about half an hour before the museum opened, which paid off since we got in right away. Unfortunately, the museum did not have a cloak room, and Liz and I had our ginormous backpacks. Thus, we were informed by the museum people that we could take turns going into the museum, and that was the best they could do. I got to go in first while Liz watched the stuff. As I entered the gallery itself, I turned the corner, and there he was. At the end of the corridor, standing approximately 5m tall was my favorite sculpture, David. My jaw literally dropped. Just being able to walk around him, look up at him, it was an experience unlike any other. I do not know how to explain it any more than describing it as a spiritual experience. As difficult as it was to tear away, I had to give Elizabeth her chance. After she finished, we said goodbye to Florence with an amazing last impression.

P.S. My latest addition to my "Top Ten Sexiest Things Ever" List? Beautiful women wearing skirts and riding Vespas. Sigh...