This blog post from the beginning of the trip somehow got lost in the blogosphere.  What was meant to be an introductory news flash now feels more like nostalgia.

There’s too much art to see and not enough time to see it here in Florence! Our Art In Tuscany class started the trip by climbing the steps of Santa Maria Del Fiore, and enjoyed a view from the top of Brunelleschi’s famous dome. On our second day, we visited Santa Maria Novella and talked about the development of linear perspective in Masaccio’s fresco of The Trinity. We compared our observations to the Renaissance facade of the building by Alberti, and talked about the difference between peaked and rounded arches. On our day in Rome, we left the country for a brief journey to Vatican City, where we joined the throngs at Michaelangelo’s newly restored Sistine Chapel. After lunch, we pondered Greek archaic sculpture and Roman frescos in luxurious air conditioning at the Massimo. Yesterday we went to the Uffizi and worked on our own painting skills here at the villa… we have yet to see the Bargello, the Academia, and Casa Buonarotti (Michaelangelo’s home!) Can we extend our trip for another couple of weeks?