Florence day 6

Bargello

Treasure Hunt

Outside the Baptistry

Piazza Duomo

Day 6 - The Real One!!

We started our day by checking out the real David!! I will leave it up to you to ask your kids what they felt when they entered the Accademia and came face to face with Michelangelo's David.

On to the Bargello to check out other famous sculptures.

After Lunch we headed towards the Baptistry in Piazza Duomo, then after some desert started our treasure hunt. I'll let the kids explain the details

Tired and quite satisfied we walked to the hostel, some through the market with Marvic and Maria and a few with me the direct non stop route!!

We got back in good time to pack and relax each one in his/her own way.

I hope you enjoyed this blog!!

See you all tomorrow.

Al

Siena and San Gimignano

Siena and San Gimignano - Photography Competition

My day of rest!! I just wanted to get on that bus and not think about any museum appointment. Much as I love Art Museums and Galleries, it is quite stressful keeping time with 22 teenagers. I am sure you understand.

The coach ride was very pleasant for all. We arrived at Siena at 10.30am and kids and teachers were ready for the photography competition. Each student has to submit one favourite photo and email it to me by the 17th April. The plan is to print and exhibit all chosen photographs and to invite photographers, such as Mr Ian Refalo and Mr John Grech to pick the two runners up and the winner.

Is it a winner?

The group at San Gimignano, out of the pouring rain!

After a very relaxing morning, strolling, basking in the sunshine, taking pictures, shopping (of course!) and lunch, we set off for San Gimignano. Another relaxing coach ride and another beautiful town. San Gimignano is famous for home made ice-cream and torture museums. We decided to sample the ice-cream and skip the torture!

We got to the hostel for another relaxing evening of billiards, swimming, sauna and gym!!

Day 4 SACI

SACI President Mary Beckinsale

Today the students experienced a day in an American Art and Conservation Institute in Florence. Be prepared, they all want to come back when they turn 18! The workshops included cleaning, conserving, restoring and archaeology.

Conservation

Restoration

Archaeology

Day 3 - Another busy day

We started off by visiting the Medici Chapel where we admired Michelangelo Buonarroti's creations: Four allegorical monuments, Night and Day and Dawn and Dusk. The kids found it fascinating that one family could be so powerful and could own so much. They did ooh and ahh quite a bit today!!
We went to mass at the the Medici Parish church of San Lorenzo...hmmmmm. I can just imagine what you are all thinking! Your kids hearing Palm Sunday Mass in Italian! ... Well I really must say they did me proud.

San Lorenzo

After a quick bite to eat and a little shopping (there must always be a little shopping)

we walked to Ponte Vecchio where we took photos.. (oh so many photos) and admired the view of the Arno.

Shopping for new belts

Outside Palazzo Pitti

Then on to Palazzo Pitti where we looked for the Titians, Raphaels and Caravaggios amongst the hundreds of paintings. I really think they got an overdose of paintings here so I whisked them out into the sunshine and onto the grass of Giardino Boboli. I was still feeling a little energetic and wanted to find the famous 'Fat Bacchus' who features in all the guidebooks so, together with Edward Mamo, Keith and Veronica Sammut Alessi, we started the search. Half an hour later and exhausted, Veronica and I gave up but the boys would not!! They wanted to find that fat Bacchus if it was the last thing they did. Ten munutes later... Eureka!!

Exhausted

Searching...

At around 5.30 we slowly made our way back to Plus Florence.

As I write this blog the kids and Mr Marvic play Team Billiards, very noisy, very exciting and lots of fun! The winning team tonight: Marvic and Victoria!!!

The winners!

... A domani!

Al

Day 2 - Uffizi Experience

We left the hostel at 9.00am, headed for the Piazza della Signoria. Started our day under La Loggia to sketch. I felt so proud to see the enthusiasm of the young artists, observing and sketching. We had to cut the session short in order to make our 10.15am appointment at the Uffizi museum. Guide books in hand we studied about 25 famous paintings, including Giotto, Fra Angelico, Fra Lippo Lippi, Botticelli, Leonardo and Michelangelo. The excitement and cheers of the students on coming face to face with Caravaggio's Medusa really brought tears to my eyes!! I know I really am an Art Geek!!
At 1pm tired and hungry we ate lunch then headed towards San Miniato. A long but very pleasant walk along the River Arno. The slight drizzle didn't stop us!!

The kids sang, laughed and cheered all the way to the beautiful Romanesque church set high up on a hill. the view.... magnificent!!

Piazzale Michelangelo: Spot the David!!

Friday 3rd April

We got to the hostel at around 4pm after a very pleasant coach ride. Our driver, Fidele, extremely pleasant and accommodating stopped at an autogrill for a lunch break. Some ate pizza, others sandwiches, others meat, potatoes and spinach and of course lasagna!!! We are in

Italy after all.

This afternoon was all about climbing the 464 steps up to the cupola of the Duomo, Santa Maria del Fiore. The view was magnificent!! We could really get a feel for the City and pick out the various churches and museums that we were about to visit over the next fewdays.

going down the steps was another experience!!

We stopped at a pizzeria for supper and then at a gelateria for desert... waffles and/or ice-cream.

Thursday 26th March

Our first meeting with the students coming to Florence! What a buzz!!! We wanted to give the students last instructions together with badges that have to be worn in Florence. We overlooked the fact that the students would wear them at school for the rest of the day and perhaps leave them on the bus!! Oh well. It's part of the excitement.

During the meeting all I could hear was 'hostel... swimming...what fun!.. shopping!' Sigh! What of the great Giotto, Donatello, Michelangelo...Botticelli?!

6 more days!!

Very excited!

At the moment we are all very excited preparing for this trip!

'Yeah!! 10 more days'

I would just like to say that the Caravaggio experience 2008 had alot to do with this trip to Florence because one of the visitors at the school exhibition happened to be a professor and senior lecturer at SACI Studio Art Centers International - Florence. Did Roberta really think I was going to take her invitation seriously?...

... I did and here we are justing counting the days!

So three cheers to Caravaggio and more cheers to Roberta Lapucci!