From the Archives: Florence

Florence (Firenze) was immediately different from Venice. KSue and I exited the train station and were met by traffic rather than water. (Cobblestones however, became a fixture of our European journey and were a pain in our rolly-suitcases ass in every city. Next time, I’m backpacking.) Florentine air was also much warmer than Venetian. It may not have been sunny, but it was in the upper 50s as opposed to low 60s and I was very happy. I had directions to our hostel and so we walked in hopefully that direction. We weren’t really that tired, like we had been when we got to Venice or Salzburg, as the train from Venice to Florence had only taken two hours. Italy, I’ve decided, is similar in size to New Jersey.

The hostel was surprisingly easy to find with our HostelWorld directions and we were led up a narrow cobble-stoned (grrr) street lined with Vespas, scooters, and motorbikes. Looking back on our journey so far, KSue and I decided this hostel was the best overall place we have stayed. The rooms were spacious and clean; the bathroom was inside the room and not disgusting. The lockers were super-sized and a big breakfast in a cafeteria-like space was included. Plus, it was on the cheaper side. Win-win-win-win-win.

After we got settled and deposited our growing bulges of suitcases into the nice-sized lockers, we went out to explore a bit. First Florentine experience: street markets. Vendors take over a couple of blocks around the touristy areas, such as near our hostel, and set up shop hocking mostly leather-based items. I bought a purse (surprise surprise). The first day we walked through these suffocating, yet colourful sellers I was wearing my leather jacket. I was amused as the vendors tried to sell their items to me: “Beautiful lady would you like a leath- another leather jacket to go with the one you’re wearing? What about a purse? More leather!” Their prices weren’t bad. If I had more room, I probably would have bought more than a purse. But alas, that barely fit in my suitcase.

The street markets led to a plaza filled with international students on school trips taking advantage of the “warm” weather: wearing shorts and eating gelato. I joined them on the gelato front. The focal point of the plaza was the Duomo, a giant colourful cathedral, which KSue describes as a beautiful paper cut out. Of course, it is not made of paper, but different kinds of stone placed in geometric patterns to give the cathedral its unique look.

Pretty.

It is really beautiful, even against a grey sky. And massive. Luckily, it was also free, so KSue and I got to go inside to take a look at the art it contains.

Quick history lesson for those who don’t know/were unaware as I was: Florence was the centre of creation during the Renaissance period. It was here the Medici family threw money at the arts, commissioning some of the most famous artists of the time that we still talk about today. Of course, KSue can tell you more about this. As can John Green on Crash Course, though he gives a different view of the Renaissance.

So Florence is practically bursting with art: paintings, sculptures and the like, all (or most) from the Renaissance period. And what did they paint during the Renaissance? Mostly Jesus. Baby Jesus with Mary, full-grown Jesus performing miracles, and finally Jesus on the cross, but never Jesus in adolescence. I guess most artists didn’t find those awkward teenage years particularly attractive. Other than Jesus, portrayals of saints and scenes from the bible are also popular. One sculpture in particular drew our attention, you may have heard of it, it’s called The David and it’s by Michelangelo.

However, we passed the (long) line and decided that we’d get up early to see it the next day. We went back to our hostel and got ready to go out. There was at least one Irish pub in this town and we were going to find it.

We walked for a while, but we finally found it. And inside it? Americans. In fact, the ceiling of the pub was decorated with U.S. college and university t-shirts. (I didn’t see an AU one, but definitely GW and Georgetown.) As the night grew on, the Lion’s Fountain pub grew more and more crowded with…drum roll, please, biddies and bros. Should I have been surprised? Probably not, as the t-shirts should have given it away, but I was anyway. I was also a fair amount of grossed out. The level of trashiness was astounding by both females and males; they did not know how to dress for a pub. KSue and looked down at our outfits: jeans and a semi-nice shirt for both of us, boots for me and Converse for her. We weren’t going to get any male attention tonight with the sheer number of girls and corresponding cleavages. But we had enjoyed ourselves anyway, making fun of trashy outfits and too-high heels, drinking our pints.

The next day was The David and it was raining. We waited in line for probably an hour in the rain, but the three American girls standing in front of us entertained us. They could have been at the Lion’s Fountain the night before. All-in-all they were not that bad, but the real clincher came with this line, said in the strongest nasal valley-girl voice one can conjure:

“What’s, like, that big, like architectural–thingy in Paris called again? Oh yeah, it’s like the Arc De Triomphe or something, right?”

I think KSue and I may have laughed out right at that point. Then they started hating on London, which KSue and I vehemently defended…to ourselves. No one gets to hate on our adopted city.

But finally, we made it inside the museum. We politely looked at the other pieces of art the building held (I’m sure they’re all very beautiful and important, but after a while, Renaissance art starts to blend together), but really bee-lined for David. A nice treat was the hall leading up the masterpiece was lined with unfinished Michelangelo sculptures, originally for Pope Julius II’s tomb. (Michelangelo was interrupted by the Pope himself to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.) But finally, there was David, all 17 feet of him. Seriously, he is that tall. We weren’t allowed to take photos, but I can clearly remember just how glorious it was.

Also the Arno, the fabulous river that runs through Florence, (every major city needs a good river) could stand alone as a piece of art itself.

LDN, VCE, DVD: Our Favorite (European) Travel Films

Spring break is coming up, and since the UK has a national religion, we get four weeks off for Easter. FOUR WEEKS. Naturally, KSue and I have planned a country-hopping European vacation extravaganza. As of right now, my itinerary is as follows: Geneva, Paris, Salzburg, Venice, Florence, Rome, Naxos, Athens, Istanbul, and Amsterdam. (While I am in Geneva and Paris, KSue will be in Paris and Seville. We’ll meet in Salzburg. So we won’t spend the whole trip together, but most of it.) Planning this trip and booking it is all very exciting and expensive. So instead of focusing all of out attention to that, we’ve instead decided to compile a list of our favorite European travel movies. Because this is a better way to spend our time.

The Lizzie McGuire Movie. First on the list is (of course) the Lizzie McGuire Movie. This is a gem from our childhood that manages to be relevant in our lives today (that is, we own the DVD and watch it often). We’re going to Rome. Thanks to Lizzie McGuire, we want to be wooed by a fake Italian pop star, be mistaken for another Italian pop star, and then perform our own life-affirming song in front of millions of people in the Colosseum with backup dancers. We want to live the dream. Whether we do or not, this is still a quintessential movie worth watching again for some vintage Duff.

She’s even got a Vespa. We need a Vespa. Look at that belt. So stylish.

Midnight in Paris. Time travel via classic cars? Check. Paris then and now? Check. A smorgasbord of long-dead artists and writers for KSue and I to fangirl over? Check. Written/Directed by Woody Allen? Check. This movie meets all the criteria of a wonderful film. I checked. Midnight in Paris is a modern Woody Allen classic bringing all his quirkiness and creativity together in one neurotic, celebrity (well, dead celebrity) leaden film with a jazztastic soundtrack to match. One of our all-time favorites, we wouldn’t leave the States without it. The film is heartwarming, funny, and nostalgic. I love it and you should too. It leaves us with a Paris battle plan: get smashed on fancy wine, hop into a 1930s jalopy filled with famous writers (I’m looking at you Mr. Fitzgerald), and do the Charleston with Hemingway.

“I am…Dali!” So surreal.

Passport to Paris (or other equivalent MK and Ashley movies: Winning London, When in Rome, Our Lips are Sealed). I hadn’t seen this movie in a while, so in order to accurately present it to my readers, I re-watched the entire 85-minute epic on YouTube in 10-15 minute spurts. First second impression: there isn’t really a plot. MK and Ashley’s movie parents are concerned about their daughters’ sense of the world, and so they decided to ship the middle-schoolers off the Paris for a week to stay with their Grandfather, the US ambassador to France (nbd). The twins then immediately make friends with cute French boys their age while simultaneously playing matchmaker for their chaperone with a French supermodel they just happened to meet at a café. Their lives are, sigh, so demanding. Either way, PTP is Mary-Kate and Ashley at their cutest and sassiest. They have great hair, great style, and everything down to their scrunchies is color-coordinated. I’m going to Paris and goshdarnit I want to sword fight with baguettes in front of the Eiffel Tower.

ADORABLE. Passports a-ready.

Monte Carlo (“This generation’s Lizzie McGuire”- KSue). Don’t judge us, but this movie is so much fun. It has it all: mistaken identities, beautiful dresses, Leighton Meester, attractive men, and not a lot of depth. Monte Carlo is unfortunately not on our list of destinations as it is a bit off the beaten track and we don’t meet the per capita income requirements. To go we would need to be mistaken for an heiress or something! (I would love to try out their race track, however.) Despite all its potential faults of being chick-flicky and improbable, the movie Monte Carlo is a cute update to a version of the Prince and the Pauper. It makes us believe that we too can one day sleep in a fancy hotel room.

I have those boots. All I need now is the dress.

The Bourne Identity. Okay, onto some less “pink” movies. In this movie, Matt Damon is an amnesic with some major ass-kicking skills and a thoroughly stamped passport. He’s on a boat, no wait! He’s in Italy – no Switzerland! But he has to get to Paris, and now he has a woman with him! He fights, he swims, and he eventually ends up in Greece. My life is not as exciting. However, we can learn some important, if not tactical, lessons from Bourne: keep moving, and you’re sure to evade a CIA tail and have fun in the mean time. Plus, Bourne punches his way through all the places I will be visiting! While traipsing through Paris, I can look out for the place where Jason Bourne dangled some guy off a building. Landmarks and such. While this movie is mainly a story-driven thriller and an homage to Matt Damon’s arms, it does cover a number of great places in Europe, all of which are featured as prime ass-kicking spots.

Look! The Eiffel Tower! He’s so worldly. Even if he can’t remember.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. At least one of the Jones films had to make this list. I know he doesn’t exactly travel across Europe (more Africa and the Middle East), but in this Last Crusade he does make a stop or two on the continent, specifically Salzburg (“I came to see the TAPESTRIES!”), Venice (“Ah, Venice…”), and Berlin (“Into the lion’s den?!”). Though I will not be making a stop in Germany, I do fully intend to reenact my favorite Indy moments in Venice and Salzburg. I’m not going to provide too much summary here because either a) you’ve seen it or b) I’m going to make you watch it with me. This is one of my all-time favorite movies that my children will grow up on. But for now, I want to see the catacombs, the castles, and the boats. I’ll have my archeological adventure, I just have to remember that “X” might just mark the spot.

I’ll be driving the boat. My guy will be taking care of armed men trying to kill us.

This list is far from complete, so if you have any suggestions, let me know. We tried to base it around European travel movies, so a lot were excluded simply due to their location. (Otherwise Sahara, Casablanca, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and so many others would have made it.) We specifically excluded Taken and Taken 2 for obvious reasons. Some of you may cry foul at the lack of inclusion of Eurotrip, but we wanted this post to be family friendly (and KSue has yet to see it). A special shout out goes to The Princess Diaries for, in the words of KSue, “making us all want to go to Genovia.” Alas, Genovia is a fictional place, but I hear Monaco is nice. Another film to receive special mention is the deserving Anastasia. The animated film spends most of its time traveling from St. Petersburg to Paris, with memorable songs in each city. Once upon a December in the dark of the night, there was a rumor in St. Petersburg and so I journeyed into the past only to find that Paris holds the key to my heart. Now where’s my Dimitri?

We also tried to construct this list based on where in Europe we are planning to travel. If we couldn’t get the city specifically, we tried to at least include the country. However, missing from this list is Istanbul and Amsterdam. The excluded and explicit Eurotrip covers Amsterdam (in a spectacular fashion), yet for Istanbul I’ll have to turn to a classier film, one with a bit more…Bond. The most recent James Bond film, the striking Skyfall (thank you, Adele), opens with a car chase through the Turkish city culminating in the opening credits. Other scenes in Skyfall also take place in my current city of London, bringing the trip full circle. You can always count on Bond to bring you back to England.

Happy travels!