I was warned about the lines to get into The Uffizi so I made reservations for us to go at 10:30 am Friday morning. I set my phone alarm to wake us up at 8:30 and asked Alessandro to call a taxi for us at 10:15. He assured me he would be around. He was NOT. I used WhatsApp to try to reach him but nada. So we went across the street and had a cornetto and caffe, and then asked the waitress to call us a taxi. The taxi system in Florence is Extensive because they always come in 2 or 3 minutes. Why the hell you can’t flag one down yourself is a total mystery. We had to find someone every time we wanted to go anywhere Or as I was wont to say, “ I have always depended on the kindness of strangers”.
As we approach The Uffizi, I see the llllooooonnnnggggg line. I look at our tickets and don’t see any information as to where to go. We have to find someone !!!!! There are so many private tour guides hawking, it’s hard to tell who is official. We are directed to door #3 which amazingly has a minute line and we check in. Then we’re told to go to door #1 where the line extends to the parking lot. Oh no,no, no! I head toward the door bypassing the line and am stopped by two young men. One takes a look at me and my cane and boot and takes my arm and says to come with him. He escorts us down to another door, gives instructions to another guard and we are in! Now we wait while another nice man gets me a wheelchair and takes my driver’s license.
Peter gets to push the wheelchair and I don’t think he is thrilled about it, and I have my own reservations about his driving skills. We encounter a staircase and look for the lift. Interesting size of the elevator, I have to go straight in and I mean straight barely clearing the doors. We are cruising a long hallway where the doorways are marked with the names of one master artist after another. We skip Giotto because it is so crowded, head to Leonardo and ogle one masterpiece after another including his magica. Our eyes devoured Caravaggio’s, Correggio’s, works by Botticelli, Titian, Lippi, Raphael, and Michelangelo. We catch Giotto on the return. The ceiling is as beautiful as some of the paintings, we stop and look out the windows across the Arno.
The first is Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus and the second is Carravaggio’s Bacchus. As we entered each gallery I found I could actually maneuver the wheelchair pretty well myself – and thank goodness because it was making me nervous every time I felt I was being pushed forward behind people. By the time we were ready to leave, I had the beginnings of some sore red blisters forming. We had to return the wheelchair, and once again ask someone to call a cab for us. Peter is sure we are missing something; Every tourist in Florence an’t be asking strangers to call taxis for them?
The staff at The Uffizi was great. I bought two postcards in the store and asked the cashier where do I return the wheelchair? She was going to explain but the decided to take me there herself. So, she left her register and indicated that I should follow her. She had me sit on a chair near an exit while she retrieved my license and returned with another woman who said our taxi was waiting and escorted us to the end of the driveway.
No time for lunch, we are off to the Accademia Museum to see the one, the only, David. I’ve got a 2:00 date with him and I don’t want to be late!
Yes, he is magnificent! The sculpting is amazing and from a single block of marble!
To be continued…
Uffizzi and David in one day!!??!!
Assolutatamente incredibile!
The wheelchair is realllllly making
a difference!
People generally don’t take taxis in
Firenze (within the centro storico )
it seems
Single block of marble… Come on now, who do you think you’re kidding.
Murray
If I ever get back to Florence, I’m wearing a boot and will carry a cane (maybe two canes).
Way to go Lori!
Stunning! Alice
Another great blog! Keep them coming! So excited that you got to experience all this magnificent art. And see the real David. He was/is spectacular.
Wow! The art! Gorgeous!