Escapisms

Got up this morning at 8.30am after a good nights sleep. Breakfast was a cup or two of hot chocolate before we all headed off. This time we were with Tom and in the morning we learnt all about the Medici’s and we were all given names again. I was Giovanni de Bencti Medici, Claire was Cosmo the Old, Katrina was Lorenzo the Great, Sue was Piero the Gout, Lindsay was Piero the Fuckwit, Toby was Savonarolla and Bettina was Poggio.

We went to the Medici’s Palace and saw frescoes of the Adoration of the Kings which ended up with the Fra Fillipo Lippi alterpiece of Maddonna Adoring Child in a wood and the Adoring Kings by Benozzo Gozzoli which has two portraits of the younger members of the Medici family. We then went on to San Lorenzo after a quick break for a drink. San Lorenzo was our next stop after that. It has the Old Sacristy on the left trancept and the interior is very like Santo Spirito. There are corples holding up the entablature and there is an extra chapel on the end of the nave wall which does not enable you to see all the trancepts from far back in the church the floor is diamond white and black and there are marks on the floor which marks out the spacing. We then went to San Marco which was a Benedictine monks place where Fra Angelico worked and painted in practically each cell and even if he didnt then his followers did. Most pictures were of the crucifixion with blood pouring out of all of the wounds – quite disgusting. We even saw the room of Cosimo when he stayed there. We got chucked out of there in the end and I posted my postcards and we had some lunch quite nearby. I had spinach and ricotta ravioli which was delicious. We then headed off towards the Brancacci Chapel where the Massacio’s are. We were again chucked out of here but not before a good look and spotting portraits of Mr Bean in ‘The Healing of the Emperors Son’ and Mick Jagger as a young lad in the crucifixion and arguing with the sourcerer two fo the most amusing sights. I can now tell which bits are by Masacio and which by Mosolino. The later figures are the ones with heavier drapery, much more complex and with many more light shades is the work of Masacio whilst the simpler less elaborate light effects on the drapery shows the work of Mosolino Lippi did the faces in the scene of the healing of the emperors son and in this we can clearly see that there are many portraits in the scene. We compared the two figures of Adam and Eve in the Temptation by Mosolino and the banishment by Masacio. You can clearly see that there is much more emotion in Masacio’s with much stronger shading on the legs etc. We then headed off to Santa Spirito. We sat down just outside it to re-cap on the works of Brunelleschi and this old drunk came and stood right next to me. Luckily Tom had spotted him quickly and decided that we should move inside. The church is beautiful, just a pity about the 18th century alter in the centre which just ruins it. This was the church that he wanted to look like a crinkle cut chip ie all the chapels being curved on he exterior as well as the interior. A mass started as we were coming to a close and a monk chucked us out. As we were going into the church we were waiting for the people coming out, being polite and this woman coming out looked at me and said something in Italian and guestured to what I thought was my size but I realised that it wasnt but that she was pointing to the door behind me. I brought myself a couple of posties some chewong gum and a Kinder egg for Sunday. I have finally got myself an Easter Egg! I also got a coke and some biscuits. I went upstairs and started to think about all the things that I have seen today and write about them.

I called Mum Dad and Hugo after getting some change fromt he reception. They were all in good form and it was lovely to speak to them. All the Germans have arrived and it sounds like we have the Philamonic Orchestra next door – at least it is slightly better than before. We went out to supper at a place which was across the river. Louigi joined us who we met at the first lunch time and I ordered artichoke but unfortunatly they did not have it so I had the plainest pizza possible and then a tiramisu. We went on to the bar which we were in earlier for ice-cream and we all had drinks. I tried to order and ameretto but I managed to end up with a cappucino?!! I then re-ordered and got Charlie to ask this time and managed to get what I wanted this time. Toby and Rose were downing grappa’s by the bucket load and lighting this aniseed stuff putting your hand over it, inhaling the fumes and once you take your hand off it drink it all in one – I did manage to get a photo, I only hope that it comes out ok. We came back and playe