02.29.08
Walking in History
We made it back from our mini-vacation to Florence. What an incredible city! It seemed like no matter what corner we turned we found some little secret tucked away.
I was amazed when we walked into the duomo and saw a Michelino’s painting Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita - the famous portrait of Dante holding The Divine Comedy with illustrations from the poem in the background. It dawned on me … Dante was from Florence!
So as we were walking around I kept my eye open and found a sign that said chiesa di Dante - Dante’s church. I had found the church where Dante met his famous Beatrice, the woman who becomes almost God-like in many of Dante’s works. I was amazed. The church itself wasn’t much to look at, but the fact that the real Dante had met the real Beatrice in the very place I was standing was incredible. These old works or art sometime take on a mythical feeling. Then when you’re in the city where these people walked and ate and went to church it hits you. This guy was an actual person!
It’s one of my favorite things about living in Italy. I’ve never been a big fan of history, but I think it’s because history in school was always a class with a big textbook taught by a boring teacher. But around here you can’t dig in your garden without discovering something ancient.
Naomi said,
03.01.08 at 10:16 pm
You know how girls have this weird way of starting random conversations because something someone said reminded them in a seemingly obtuse way of another topic that seems unrelated? Well, your blog entry reminded me of Hitchcock’s Rear Window.
Natalie Witcher said,
03.01.08 at 11:27 pm
Italy sounds yummy! Miss you guys!
jp said,
03.06.08 at 11:10 am
…wish i had a garden…
I’m going to have to add the church to my list - sounds cool!