Hi Fiorella,
I am back home in the US, and recovering from my trip through Italy.
I enjoyed the guides who took me through the museums, archaelogical sites, and eating establishments. The guides were very informative which made our visits more relevant. I especially appreciated Francesca (Venice Eating Tour through the Jewish Ghetto), Christina (Murano Glass Co. and Burano Island), and Kate (Trastevere Jewish Ghetto Eating Tour) tours. We were able to see people going living in their neighborhoods.
The museums and archaelogical sites were incredible. Our guides gave us highlights at the places we visited. So many important events have happened in Venice, Pisa, Florence, Rome, and Naples that have shaped Italy and all of Europe. I really needed the guides to highlight the important things, otherwise it would have been a big blur.
Lastly the art was incredible. I am a technical person by training, so art appreciation is not my thing. I do not have the words to describe the paintings, sculptures, and architecture I saw on this trip. It is not just the beauty, but the people, what was happening around them, and what they had to do to make these things that is astounding. Barbara, who was my guide through the Uffizi Gallery and Vassari Corridor and a painter herself, did a wonderful job helping tourists like me understand the paintings and sculptures.
The fact we were walking through a corridor fille with paintings built solely for the Medici family that wound above the city of Florence, so that they would not have walk through the streets. It help me appreciate the absolute power and wealth this family held in Italy.
My last guide at Naple’s Archaelogical Museum made me realize that I need to visit southern Italy and some of the smaller, less populated towns to learn more about the Roman Empire and ancient Italy.
I also saw Moses by Michelangelo at Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli for free, so I made a small donation. My background is in the chemical sciences and business. I know nothing about art, but Michelangelo, I don’t have the words.
Overall, I enjoyed my trip through Italy. Thank you Fiorella and Franca.
Richard Chin
