I’ve known Jeff for nearly forty years, having worked together for a dozen years or so in the 1970s & 1980s. When Jeff visited here (Sunriver, Oregon) in late February, he told me of the family plan to travel for a year with a 1st October stop in Florence. Having studied in Rome as a student in the middle/ late 1960’s and early 1970’s, in addition to working as a guide in both Rome and Florence, followed by many visits to Florence over the years, at first I told Jeff I could write up some notes for their time in Florence. Long story short, I went over to show the Jordans Florence and her treasures. Treasures I have admired and visited for over fifty years.Florence is the heart of Italy as during the 15th century nearly all of Italy’s original thinking and techniques took place in Florence, a city timeless as almost everything of importance is still there so that the miracle of achievement is added to the miracle of survival. Timelessness and an ideal life in 15th century Florence but also an earlier classical period (Greek and Roman).
Our spacious apartment, half a block off the beaten tourist track was decorated in the Florentine style so even when we were inside we never felt as if we had left Florence.
My goal was to impress upon the Jordan three the fact that precise linear perspective, foreshortening or the third dimension was discovered and developed in architecture (Brunelleschi), sculpture (Donatello) and fresco painting (Masaccio). Thus, in addition to various miscellaneous points of interest (Michelangelo lived “here” as a boy of eleven; his childhood friend, Francesco Granaci’s burial spot, Donatello’s studio, Lady Liberty in Santa Croce, etc., etc.), I was fortunate to perk Mick’s interest in 15th century Florence art, architecture and sculpture, especially in his avid response to Florentine gelato and, as my fellow chocolate addict, we had our share of this Florentine delicacy.
In addition to all that Florence has to offer the interested visitor, one thing we did was a cooking class: pizza and gelato, a four hour class that ended in five hours. Jeff & Cathy partnered as did Mick & I. In addition to all the art work we saw, climbing the Duomo, vespers at San Mineato al Monte, churches, tour of the Uffizi, not to diminish our stay in Florence, this pizza and gelato cooking class at a villa in the hills just outside of Florence, probably was the fun highlight of our stay to say nothing of the fact that we each ate the best pizza ever while we all shared in the various flavors of gelato made by our fellow participants. A wonderful late afternoon and evening as evidenced by our respective “diplomas.”
Eight days in Florence with Jeff (“we’ll follow you”), Cathy and Mick, priceless!
Safe travels, mi amici.