Florence afternoon

The first time I met Florence was the novel Between Calmness and Passion, as many do. This novel was an alternate serialization method written by Kaori Ekuni in a monthly magazine, followed by Hitonari Tsuji in the next publication. The same incident was depicted in the eyes of Aoi with Ekuni Kaori and Tsuji Hitonari with the eyes of Junsei Agata. After the novel was completed, the story of Aoi written by Ekuni was released as a book set in which the part of Junsei written by Tsuji was tied in ‘Blue’ with a blue cover in ‘Rosso’ in a red cover. Ten years later, centering on the past promise to meet at the cupola on top of the Duomo in Florence, you will unfold a loving story in another space. Particularly, the part where the two meet again will remain strong in the memories of many people. It was released as a movie in 2001, and the appearance of Florence on the screen really was the best scene to stimulate the feeling of travel. In the movie I watched again on my mobile phone before entering Florence, Florence was very impressive.

Florence, the capital of Tuscany, the heart of Italy, and the birthplace of the Medieval Renaissance, is known as'the cradle of the Renaissance','the medieval Athens', and the'Italian capital of art'. It's just not enough. Florence's historic district was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site already in 1982. The city itself is medieval, historical and art, with spectacular and beautiful squares, palaces built during the Renaissance, massive and majestic cathedrals, and art-filled museums and galleries. In addition, Florence was the birthplace of outstanding figures in the fields of history, literature, art, architecture, science and fashion, such as Dante, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galilei, Donatello, Bocaccio, Botticelli, Machiaveli, Gucci, and Ferragamo, or the place where they blossomed. In fact, you won't be able to see everything in Florence even if you look back a month, not a week. It is a shock of culture, art, and emotions that are difficult to handle for travelers who stay in such a place for a few days.

The morning in Florence, wet with rain last night, was calm and elegant. The road to the Duomo was early, but it was full of travelers. It couldn't be a sacred place for traveling to Italy. As soon as I turned around the alley, the huge Duomo overwhelmed the gaze, and the colorful wall pattern made my mouth open automatically. Standing in front of the Duomo shining with unchanging beauty, I felt the dwarfness as a human being. Also, I made a pledge that my passion for painting will not cool down while being drunk in the spirit of human art that never ceases. I was looking up at the Duomo and the bell tower so that my throat hurts, and I decided to climb the Duomo cupola. As Junsei in the novel did, when I climbed to the top of the Duomo, I felt like I would face someone I wanted to meet like fate. I constantly climbed the old and narrow stairs and finally stood under the iron staircase that reached the top. After a group of people descending the stairs passed, I was able to climb up, but my heart was thrilled at the ridiculous imagination that I might see someone. Even though I was funny, I was holding onto my mind for a long time while walking around the summit of the Duomo, full of tourists, where I could see the iron stairs coming up to the summit. Even after leaving the Duomo, I couldn't easily leave the spot. So, I went into a cafe where the whole of Duomo could be seen to some extent and took a seat and painted. I sketched over two hours, but I had to leave the room after making the overall outline and composition. At that time, the painting was completed by working for a whole week after returning from the trip.

In 2007, Florence was named the most attractive destination for tourists around the world, and it is still considered one of the most sought after European attractions. The historic center of Florence was a good place to travel on foot. If you walk with light steps, you will suddenly move to the banks of the Arno River. The time walking along the river that flows slowly, although it is muddy, is very attractive. The buildings, which were connected by numerous bridges and lined up along the river bank, were friendly like old toys. In fact, the Arno River has made the city prosper with commerce, but it is a lover who cannot but love but hate it, destroying the city by flooding and causing pain to the citizens of Florence.

Of course, the oldest bridge, the Vecchio Bridge, is where you stop walking while walking along the river. The reason this place is famous is not just because it is old. Old houses and gold and silver handicraft shops lined up along the edge of the bridge recreate the medieval feel. Then, nine-year-old Dante met eight-year-old Beatrice and fell in love at first sight. They accidentally reunited on the same bridge nine years later, which is the Ponte Vecchio. Perhaps that is why, in the middle of the bridge, the fence struck under the bust of the Florentine sculptor Chelini was filled with locks that lovers pledged to love. Even at this moment when I was taking pictures, the young lovers hung a lock on the corner of the railing and kissed.

Crossing the Ponte Vecchio, we walked towards Signoria Square, where the Uffizi Gallery is located. Originally used as the palace of the Medici family, the Uffizi Gallery, sponsored by the Medici family, includes Botticelli's and , Michelangelo's , Raphaello's and Titian's . It is a world-class art museum that is regarded as a collection of masterpieces among masterpieces. And around the Palazzo Vecchio towering at Signoria Square, statues containing numerous histories and myths stand magnificently and are being baptized with cameras by tourists. In particular, under Michelangelo's 〈David Statue〉 was crowded with tourists trying to take authentication photos. In fact, the original is kept in the Accademia Museum to prevent damage, and most people know that the one in front of the Palazzo Vecchio is a replica, but it is by far the most popular shooting point for tourists. In addition, Neptune's fountain, which continues to function in its original form to this day, is regarded as a masterpiece of marble sculpture.

Even in Florence, where the scent of art and culture is oozing everywhere, it seems that there is no choice but to be hungry. It is practically impossible for a poor traveler to travel with a leisurely meal, but try to find local restaurants for one meal a day, lunch or dinner. I was so hungry that I tried to eat hamburgers or sliced ​​pizzas at a fast food restaurant that seemed close to me, but I decided to look for a restaurant where the owner of the hostel told me to visit a lot of savvy locals. When I exited the main road crowded with tourists and entered into a slightly dark and shabby alley, I was hesitant for a moment. I remember meeting a robber in a secluded alley in Barcelona in the past, but the joy of meeting unexpected places in my travels made me feel worried. When I walked through the back streets of the Palazzo Vecchio and found the restaurant the owner said, joy burst out with cheers.

While it's true that you can see the best sunsets anywhere in Europe, Florence's sunsets are one of the best among European cities. Particularly, if you don't see the sunset from Michelangelo Hill, where the panoramic view of Florence is unfolding, you've only done half a trip to Florence. Already, Michelangelo Hill's stairs and railings were packed with travelers from all over the world. As the sun began to tilt, the golden sun shining away from the Arno River began to mysteriously envelop the city. The sound of guitars and violins playing street performances echoed everywhere, and the golden sunlight that lingered in the western sky finally colored the Arno River across the city red. At the moment, the travelers sitting on the stairs clapped with admiration and applause as if they had made an appointment, and lovers who were looking forward to each other shared a sweet kiss in front of the most enchanting sunset in the world. The hearts of the travelers were beating even hotter, and the faces and hearts of everyone, including myself, burned red. Like the people who just woke up from the most enchanting dreams in the world at the moment the sun completely falls, everywhere ah! I heard a sighing. And along the river, streetlights in city squares, alleys, cathedrals, and palaces began to light up like Christmas lights. Most of the people cleared up and stood up, but I wanted to see a night in Florence for a long time as it went into total darkness and filled with man-made light. For some reason, I felt like I would never come back to Florence.