The City of Katie

Florence. I’m absolutely and irrevocably in love.

If only I had chosen Italian over French that fateful day of registration my freshman year at OU when my counselor asked which language I would like to study, then I feel certain my path would have led me to Florence.

I don’t know what it is. Maybe it’s the art, which seems to surge through every person, every building, and every feeling. Maybe it is the smile the Italians throw your way every time you enter a store and try to stumble out a decent “Ciao!”. Maybe it is the pasta, which is more than my taste buds could ever hope to discover in one sitting. Maybe it is the fact that I stood in line for three hours today to enter the Uffizi Museum, which houses the paintings of Michelangelo, da Vinci, Raphael, and Boticelli, and was so happy to do it because I heard the Italian lady next to me say, “This is definitely worth it.”. And it was.

After the museum, Haley and I hiked up to the Piazza del Michelangelo and marveled at the cityscape for almost an hour. The Duomo dominated the view, and the rolling hills of Tuscany provided the background for the countless red tiled roofs. We continued out hike up to the church at the peak of the hill, and listened to the monks there perform a traditional Gregorian chant. It was beautiful, but mournful. I felt somber, but culturally enriched as I wandered around the church’s graveyard and thought about all the great artists of Florence who have lived and died in this city of beauty as the chants replayed in my head.

Kelly, Haley’s friend from William & Mary, is studying art in Florence this semester, and graciously welcomed us plus our entirely-too-large suitcases into her apartment for two nights. Her love for Florence was apparent the second I saw her ear-to-ear smile when she greeted us at the train station. She absolutely loves it here. She practically skipped as she showed us around the city Monday evening, making me want to grab her and Haley by the hand and start to sing, “We’re off to see theartofMichelangelo, the wonderfulartofMichelangelo of FloRENCE!”.

Now, Haley and I are resting our throbbing feet (cobblestone can really take it out of you). It was a great, full day, and I wish we had more than a morning tomorrow to try and fit in all that we need to see. But, I am now more excited than ever to see more of Italy. Naples, here we come!