I just have to say that I walked up to San Miniato al Monte this morning - the basilica up on the hill with the cemetery. It's literally one of the most beautiful places I have ever been in my life. Today, I actually went inside the basilica - it's very dark and quiet in there, but there were so many beautiful paintings on the walls, and even an unfinished tempera painting that I found fascinating to look at. If anyone ever comes to Florence - make the walk for the view of the city and to look at the basilica!
Also, something that I was thinking the other day about how we always study the same things in history classes in the US, and that most of that history is directly related to the US. It made me realize how narrow my view of past world events are. I was thinking about this, because since I came here, I have heard so much about the Florence flood of '66. The flood was one of the most disastrous events in Italy, and happened so recently that it is still fresh in everyone's mind. Yet I had never heard of it until I arrived. It was the first time that the Arno flooded since the Industrial Revolution, so in addition to the lives and homes lost (which would have been bad enough) so much history and art of the city was severely damaged. Just one more thing to make me realize that what is important to us in the US, is not what is important to everyone in the world.
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