Florence. A cool courtyard in some building, part of which Michaelangelo designed. Il Duomo in the background (which actually annoys me that people call it that- sure, to Florentines, its just a nickname- but to tourists, probably half of them don't even realize it just means "THE DOME". Even more confusing is that Milan has another one referred to as Il Duomo also. Great.)
The library. The Lorentian Library, in fact. Built by the Medicis. Thanks Google for reminding me. Couldn't really touch anything in here.
A view of "Il Duomo" (Santa Maria del Fiore- "Saint Mary of the Flower") from the rooftop patio of our hotel. Pretty great view.
Down the walkway, still on the rooftop. We were able to stand/sit under here when it was raining, at least lightly.
The "Modern" church we went to see, by Michellucci, "Chiusa del'Autostrada". Church of the highway- an attempt at recognizing the fact that roads were starting to define the face of the world, the country, the city. The church was purposefully built near the highway, on the outskirts of even the present-day center of the city.
The interior. With rolling ceiling, that is concrete. How is it hanging up there?? Look at the "trees" of concrete holding it up.
The baptismal rotunda. I took some similar pictures to these, but thats because I stitched multiple photos together :)
The surround olive groves and hills when we were at the house on the hill outside Florence, having the best freshest Italian meal ever.
Some great pictures inside the little house they designed and built themselves (two architects, married to each other). Great pictures I couldn't get without a wide-angle lens. A small balcony upstairs, pitched roof.
There I am down below, in the space between the house and the furnace they built the house against- the space between has a glass skylight over it. Kinda nice.
Black painted walls in the bathroom, pitched roof again...it had doors on both sides, and the shower head hanging on the wall with no curtain and just a drain in the center of the floor...thats how they do it in Europe quite often, though the guy was American, and both taught in the US...but still, a cool way to efficiently do a small bathroom. Cept the bathroom didnt have doors, so no privacy, and it'd be cold to shower!
Lots of people cutting cheese, meat, bread. It was a group effort. I would have rather eaten it than prepare it, though I was still able to eat while I was preparing :)
They had a grass tennis court by the house! My friends were playing some form of soccer. I was walking around enjoying the property and desperately trying to take it all in and hold onto the memory forever...
They also built this little treehouse-y hut that was rusted steel and all glass up there, with a bed in the middle. Looked amazing.
A view from the bell tower of Il Duomo, overlooking the plaza, with the freestanding baptistry- there was a marathon through Florence that day. So lots of people around.
Inside the bell tower. Up at the top is actually the floor of another area, with a grate that you can stand on- I think that might be me up there, I forget.
Inside the church. Aside from the floor, its about as spare as you can get, which is surprising given the elaborately ornate outside...
An older church, I think it was also designed by Michaelangelo...but I don't remember what the story is about the facade, sadly...
Part of the Uffizi Gallery (where Michaelangelo's David is), on one of two or three main plazas in Florence.
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