On the sixth day of Christmas, blamebrampton gave to me ...

[blamebrampton]

A picspam from Italy!

This is a brief picspam with minimal accompanying text, I warn you now that at some point in the next couple of months there will be an extensive one with miles of commentary. Yes! It's like slides from the seventies, except we now inflict them on the entire internet, not just the neighbours!

(It was going to be more messages, but I have spent the day putting up my new shelves and my hands are buggered for typing. Tomorrow will also be a day of something easy, then back to the good stuff for the New Year! Hurrah!)




This is my favourite part of Florence, it's a set of martyrs in one of the tabernacles on the outside of Orsanmichele, and it is terribly serious. But to me, it will always be the home of Pigeonhead (if you click on the image you will see a larger version, with a far clearer pigeon). Every night that pigeon was there, nestled in its saintly home. Bless ...



Outside the main centre of Florence is a little-visited gem of a museum called Museo Stibbert. YOU MUST GO THERE. Seriously, no matter what you are interested in, you will find something splendid to tickle your fancy. This is a Napoleonic cloak, owned by Napoleon ;-)



This is the beautiful Palazzo Davanzati on via Porto Rossa (only open in the mornings). It is a beautiful building undergoing a truly spectacular restoration to its 14th century roots and stepping into it is like leaving the modern world utterly behind.



One of the fat and grumpy cats at Palazzo Pitti -- it was like seeing the much-loved Min cat's extended family! This fellow came out for a drink from a fountain while the costume crew were all there at a reception, he handled the crowds with aplomb, managing to exude an aura of 'look but do not touch' without a single hiss.



The view from the terrace at the Tornabuoni Beacci. You can play count the aerials and satellite dishes!



The ceiling of one of Cosimo's rooms at the Palazzo Vecchio. He was a subtle and understated man.


Santa Croce, where Galileo is buried! The Franciscans, bless their cotton socks, had him squirrelled away so that when, some 150-odd years after he died, the Pope said 'You know, since it turns out he was right, he wasn't THAT heretical, and he was Italian, we should probably do something to commemorate him' they said in reply 'OH LOOK! Here's his corpse right here!'



Traisping through the Bargello with shiv5468 , anthimaeria  and vaysh , we found this very Malfoyesque peacock. Where were pingrid and raitala you might ask? I giggle, and promise to tell you later.



And I think this is Chiasso Ricasola, on the one occasion I saw it with no bicycles chained up, which was only annoying because I had wanted a shot of the bikes ;-)

In short, Florence in the autumn is one of those perfectly lovely places, I'll tell you more about it in the New Year.

Comments

[pingrid.livejournal.com]

YAY FLORENCE! Oooh, seeing these make me want to go back to Tuscany in the spring. Good old Pigeonhead. And well, I haven't seen the Bargello yet. ;)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

And why would that be, young lady?

I am shamefully behind in organising pix and writing up notes, I haven't even done a set for Cal yet. But I DO have more Ikea shelves and they are nearly all sorted and set up!

[pingrid.livejournal.com]

I proudly claim that drinking to excess with Rairai is a perfectly legitimate reason to skip a few bits of statuary. :D

Shelves is good! I need some too, but first I need some more wall. Did you get ones to match the other ones, or are you branching out for that eclectic mad professor look?

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

They MATCH! Though this means that we have to go back and get the last narrow shelf some time this week, as they had none on the day we were there. The alternative was red, or the expensive ones, and since I have STILL not been paid, and red would just be willfully eccentric, we settled for these.

I've had to dismantle two smaller shelf sets to make room for them, though ...

[pingrid.livejournal.com]

Still not paid - the bastards! On the positive side, since you're not spending that much on Christmas, you can save the money for your travel fund when you do get it! :D Estonia '09!

[pingrid.livejournal.com]

By the way, have you seen A New Pope? Star Wars/Vatican crossover, so funny! :D

[beatnikspinster.livejournal.com]

These are beautiful photographs. I especially love the Palazzo Davanzati one. :)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

That's because it is impossible to take a bad photo of Florence. My museum friend and I had to stop on our second day and give way to a fit of giggles brought on by all the picturesque moments! (We're a little bit odd.)

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

These are a lovely tease for the massive pic spam - and I can't wait. Even if I never get to Florence - I will have seen it through you. *hugs*

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I do hope that you get there, it is one of the places that people *should* see!

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

Well with the second child starting college - my chances are quite slim for several years.

I feel fortunate to have visited Paris and parts of Germany in the last few years.

Next year (practically this year) we plan a small cruise to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary - but it will be to somewhere closer...Bahamas or Mexico. But I ramble... lol

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Talking about the Bahamas is NEVER rambling! Do you have one of those children studying something lucrative? I like to think of offspring as investments, and at some point they need to pay you the odd dividend (obviously, this is why we have cats);-)

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

lmao

Well the oldest just graduated from college with a degree in French Commercial Business and International Studies and with an emphasis in French language (hence the Paris visit when he was there for a year) and I hope to visit him where ever his is using that knowledge. lol

Youngest is going into film production/editing and hopefully one day will be quite lucrative and allow me to visit a set and hob-nob with the stars. lol

Maybe by then DanRad will be working in LA. *cracks up*

Oh and firmly intend for them to carry me financially through my old age. After all...we carried them for the 20 some odd years! ;)

[khateh.livejournal.com]

'OH LOOK! Here's his corpse right here!'
*rotfl*

I should make a post about Florence in the summer :) Of course, I didn't see half of the things you did, and if I ever go there again, I'll know who to talk to :)

[blythely.livejournal.com]

How lovely. I have only spent a day in Florence and it was rushing about from bridge to museum to piazza and back again. Would love to go back. Digging the peacock, btw ;)

[abusing-sarcasm.livejournal.com]

Ah, the Franciscans. People of such foresight when it comes to important dead guys... :p

These are all just beautiful! I love the ceiling pic... Think if I did that in my bedroom it would be too much?

*ponders*

[maya231.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the teaser! I love the random peacock. The rooftop photo surprised me: I was last in Florence in 1988, and, well, the roofscape looked different!

[tray-la-la.livejournal.com]

lovely pics! i was there in june and i must say i think you did a much better job of seeing the place than i did based on these pics! i only vaguely recognize a few, which means either my memory's failing or i didn't deviate far from the beaten path. :/

*fails at not being a typical tourist*

i particularly like the shots of Palazzo Davanzati and Chisasso Ricasola.

[coffeejunkii.livejournal.com]

seeing these pics only confirms my desire to go to florence. i'm looking forward to the rest of the pics :)

[cinnatart.livejournal.com]

*flails about*

[snottygrrl.livejournal.com]

i adored firenze when i was there and long to go back. my cousins live not far away (which i'm sure i've told you every time you mention your trip). i was there in the dead of winter which wasn't quite as charming, but at least not swarmed with tourists. some day i will return.

love your pics. thanks for sharing ♥

[frantic-mice.livejournal.com]

Could u post a pic from when u were tiny lil babybaby??

I send one of lilme to Anners in the little package I sent her today & nao I have this crave to see everybody's.

♥

OH!! and *ungratefulMicie* THANKS FOR THE GORGEOUS PICS!! (specially loved the peecock :DDDDDDDDDDD moo ahahahaha see what I did ther? lil kid humor)

[uminohikari.livejournal.com]

Kitty. Kitty kitty kitty kitty kitty. Kiiiiiiiiiiitty

[meredyth-13.livejournal.com]

My travel bug is already acting up. I have had urges to visit NZ, the Greek Isles and now Italy. and that's just the last two days. Watching Mama Mia is a surefire way to a) want to travel and b) feel that one's life is somehow meaningless and wasted as one is not spending one's days singing, dancing, ageing gracefully, and being loved by an entire greek chorus. *makes sad face of wasted life*

Your pics are beautiful honey. Although my envy is still that you guys all got together to enjoy it and each other. :D *smooch*

[grey-hunter.livejournal.com]

Great photos! And of course, no journey is complete without finding some fandomesque curiosity, huh? :D