Italy

Rome and Florence were molta bella. We're already plotting a way to go back if we can manage to save up the money to return.

The whole trip went mostly smoothly, except Mom busting her knee. It was almost unbelievable. The flights were on time. The weather couldn't have been more perfect. The tours were fantastic, the hotel and apartment beyond our expectations.

Everyone should go see David. You get a whole new perspective when you see him in 3D. If you look at the usual front on picture, he looks relaxed. Until you're there and see the veins bulging in his hands and arms, the frown between his eyes as he gazes at someone,  tension in his back. Then you realize: Michelangelo was capturing David just before he slew Goliath. He was tensing up, ready to swing his sling.

We saw a couple of other sculptures of David by Donatello. The first is rather stiff, early in Donatello's career. The second also features an almost nude David, only a prissy little boy with long blond locks, a fey hat and boots as he stands over Goliath's head in triumph.