DUOMO OF FLORENCE

After leaving the Accademia we walked through Florence.  We walked past the Duomo , the cathedral Santa Maria del Flore.  It wasn't included in our tour.  The line to get in was extremely long.  It's a complex of three different buildings.For more information on the Duomo click here. 

Ghiberti's Bronze Doors.  for more information click here

MICHELANGELO'S BELOVED CITY

I read the book The Sistine Secrets and was looking forward to visiting the city that Michelangelo loved so much.  Let me say that Florence didn't disappoint.  There was so much to see and so little time. The first part of the tour was the Accademia Gallery. That is where Michelangelo's David is housed along with some of his other works and some of his unfinished sculptures for the tomb of Julius ll.  You couldn't take pictures in the museum so I bought a book.For more information click here

 View of the Tuscan countryside.

 Arch in Florence through the bus window.

 View into the Accademia Gallery while standing in line.

The line to get in the Accademia.

VIEWS OF AVIGNON AND PROVENCE

Time in Avignon was short.  We toured the Pope's Palace and then walked through town to a cafe for a typical lunch in Provence.  As the French say C'etait tres bon.  It was very good.  After lunch we had about an hour of free time.  I walked through town, did a little shopping and visited the Pope's garden behind the palace.

These gentlemen are on either side of the door to the theater.  They weren't identified by name.

Interesting building

Cafe scene in the town square.

Exiting the Pope's Palace heading back to town.

View from the Papal Palace gardens.

A memorial to the Jews deported to the Nazi extermination camp at Vaucluse between 1942 and 1944.

View of Provence.  Our guide mentioned that the some of the impressionist painters liked the landscape of Provence.

Sailing away from Marseille.

Saint-Martial Chapel

Fresco in the chapel in the Pope's Palace

In the dining room

 Wall fresco in the dining room of the Pope's Palace.

THE POPE'S PALACE

 Pictures are not allowed in the palace even without flash.  I bought a book and took two pictures  of frescos
Interesting place.  Some of the frescos are very well preserved and very colorful.

SUR LE PONT D'AVIGNON

These next four pictures are of the bridge at Avignon, made famous by a song written in the  15th century.  

 Sur le pont d'Avignon
L'on y danse, l'on y danse
Sur le pont d’Avignon
L'on y danse tous en rond
On the bridge of Avignon
We all dance there, we all dance there
On the bridge of Avignon
We all dance there in a ring

 First Verse

Les beaux messieurs font comme ça
Et puis encore comme ça.
The handsome young gentlemen do like this (bow)
And then like that

Second Verse

Les belles dames font comme ça
Et puis encore comme ça.
The beautiful young ladies do like this (curtsy)
And then like that

] Third Verse

Les militaires font comme ça
Et puis encore comme ça
The brave soldiers do like this (salute)
And then like that

 Fourth Verse

Les musiciens font comme ça
Et puis encore comme ça.
The musicians do like this (play violin)
And then like that

For the music go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2CLFIVtKLA&feature=related

 We got there about 8:30 or 9:00 in the a.m.  The morning fog hadn't completely burned off yet and morning rush hour was still happening.

In between cars.

Closeup of the bridge.

LA SAGRADA FAMILIA INTERIOR

 There really isn't too much to say about the interior of the Basilica.  I will let the pictures speak for themselves.  For additional information on Sagrada Familia click here

                                      

LA SAGRADA FAMILIA EXTERIOR

La Sagrada Familia is Gaudi's most famous work.  Construction started in 1882, and Gaudi took over in 1883 and worked on it until his death.  It is a very unique church.  Not at all like the Gothic cathedrals one is used to seeing in Europe.  There are two distinct sculpted facades.  On the east side there is the Nativity scene and on the west is the Passion scene.  The detail on the entire exterior is remarkable.  It was difficult to  get complete pictures of the exterior because I was so close and didn't really have the time to wander off. 

 East side facade.  Nativity scene in the center.

Another shot of the east side.

View from the south side.

 Nativity Facade

Closer look at the Nativity

Notice the detail

 Passion Facade

 Notice the different sculpting style.

There is a big difference in style between the East and the West facades.

Can't remember what this is but I liked it.