Two weeks ago I bought an umbrella, a three-euro umbrella, a pink and tan argyle umbrella. I am truly ecstatic about it.
The rain promptly stopped.
Today, it began again! Which was exciting for the purposes of my umbrella. However, the rain also thwarted the plans my friends and I had to travel to Cinque Terra, a beautiful coastal city set on steep, jagged inclines. The place is perfect for hiking, shopping, and taking in the view, which is much better when sunny. So, we postponed our venture to early March. Hopefully the sun will shine.
For the purposes of this weekend, it has already proven to be a smart decision. Gina and I decided to spend the afternoon in the Uffizi Gallery, which holds so many amazing Renaissance art works. We saw Botticelli, da Vinci, Titian, Rafael, Pontermo, Parmigiano, and many more. I look at them through the tinted lens of art history. I know their context, their content, their intent from the textbooks. I don't know if I can contemplate them with the purity of an individual who wanders across a piece, knows nothing about it and is there fore awed. I analyze critically, looking at the brush strokes, the color. I don't think I can breath it in the way I feel I should be able to, mainly, because I have to chew it up first. Food in the lungs is never good you know. Regardless, I walk away feeling humbled about my own abilities.
I've been working on a research paper on Botticelli. One of his more obscure Venuses (Mars and Venus) is the focus of my paper, and I am relating it the role of women in the Florentine Renaissance. It should prove to be pretty interesting in the end, hopefully.
Today, the agenda includes dinner in Florence and perhaps some shopping. Tomorrow…Viereggio for Carnivale. I can't wait to be among the colors, the floats, the food, the people. Several people from my program went a few weekends ago and said that it was the best thing they have done so far.
In other news, the villa choir began this week. Oh how I love to sing!