Statue of David and Naples

Tuesday 7/19/11

Dennis and Karen needed to go to the market today. This market is the open air market that is slightly out of the downtown historical area. It is a park area that runs parallel to the Arno river and has booth after booth after booth. I found a place that sold cycling and soccer gear for really cheap. I ended up buying a cycling jersey and shorts for 2 euro that I will proudly display on my bike when I get home. Joubert had to head to his own place. There just isn't enough room for him once Vangela and Sharon get here, so I helped him pack all his things to his new place where we met one of his new roommates. Who knows what they man's name whas, but he was was taking English classes and wanted me to help him with his homework. Joubert said that it made him feel really good for me to tell him that he was doing a good job because I am from America.

I have 1 pair of shorts here that I have been wearing every day. I haven't been able to wash them because I don't want to wear pants! Its too hot! So today was laundry day; we were taking a load of towels to the laundromat. So since it was slightly overcast, I stripped off the shorts and put on a pair of pants. Then we loaded all of the towels and my shorts into a bag and headed off to the Laundromat. Dennis and Micah were off getting a haircut so after we got the laundry going we headed to the barber shop and waited for them. After the haircuts were finished we went back to the laundromat, put the shorts and the towels in the dryer and went to get dinner. Tonight they really wanted to show me a restaurant called “Mesopotamia Kebab”. It was awesome... highly recommend it. The best Kebabs in Florence. Then back to the Laundromat to get our stuff and home. Vangela and Sharon arrived at the Florence train station at 9:30pm so we went to pick them up and walk them back to the apartment. I didn't touch my camera today. I looked at the weather report, and it is looking like it could be raining for a little while. I think Vangela and Sharon brought the Oregon rain... dang. Looks like Ill be exploring in the rain. =)

Wednesday 7/20/11

I got some good exercise today. I walk every chance I get. Karen, Sharon, Vangela and I walked up to Piazza le Michelangelo early in the day. They wanted to get a good view of the City. Then we went and checked out the Duomo. 

This was the first time I went inside. It was really dark and really big. I had my 200mm lens on, so I couldn't really zoom out enough for a picture. I did notice plenty of statues in there that I chuckled at. Who decided what pose the they would be in? ...because I would have loved to be on that committee. One of my favorites is one where there was a little cupid poking up from under this guys book. I don't know.. I think I would be freaking out if all of the sudden this little person popped his arm out from under there handing me a little piece of fruit. The expression on the guys face is ..”!Ahh Fruit.” I guess its typical of a man to be tempted with fruit.

Later that evening just before sunset Dennis popped a handful of pain-killer and we walked up to our usual destination. We wanted to get a nice picture of the sunset as it goes down past the Arno river under the Ponte Vecchio bridge. We made good time, though I am afraid it was at the expense of his hip. After the sunset he and I walked back down into Florence and played with our cameras. I would have killed for a tripod. I had the idea of taking a picture of Dennis as mobs of tourists stream by him in the glow of the store lights. 

This meant that I had to keep the camera still for around 5 seconds, and Dennis had to remain motionless as well. We had so many of the weirdest looks. There were a number of scandalously dressed girls that didnt notice that Dennis was posing motionless in the middle of the street and thought I was taking pictures of them... One of them murmured “Kinda creepy...” as she walked by. Since we didnt have a tripod I did everything from balancing my camera on a garbage can to getting a step ladder from the apartment and setting it up in the middle of the street... We took some fun pictures.

Thursday 7/21/11

Happy Birthday Karen!!

We went to see the Statue of David in the morning. When we first went into the museum I started looking at all of the paintings and statues; trying to appreciate them, then I saw David and everything else seemed to fade away. It was unreal. I found myself walking back trying to categorize the way I was feeling. I have never been blown away by a giant rock. I remember when my friend Neal was telling me about his time in Europe with his wife and had seen it, he was trying to explain to me the detail of the statue. I guess it's one of those things that nobody can explain, you just need to see it yourself. I realized a number of times that I was standing in the middle of the museum zoning out; gazing up at the massive statue. Tour groups were walking around me like it was a major inconvenience. As we walked back to the apartment I thought about how talented Michelangelo was as an artist. Some of the most famous pieces in the world are by his hand. I thought about the statue itself; not only was it hand carved and smoothed over by Michelangelo, this was a statue of the king of Israel who was chosen and anointed by God. I thought about how this, as breathtaking as it is, is more or less the limit of man's ability. We see and idolize all these man-made things while all of the God-made things seem to go unnoticed. We marvel at the statue of David and credit it's creator but marvel at the earth and credit... whomever or whatever seems best to us at the time... and still, most of these statues and buildings that we are in awe of point to the source! They were created to glorify Christ. I suppose that is similar to when Jesus says “He who has ears, let him hear.” He even clarifies that for us in Matthew 13 but still we don't “hear”. I wanted to take a picture of it so bad, but since there were postings everywhere saying not to, I forced my camera back down at my side and found someone who had on the internet... I don't think a picture could ever do it justice.

Since it was Karen's Birthday we let her call the shots for the rest of the day. We ate lunch at a place called Trattoria Mario's, which is supposed to be very well known for its food. They pack people inside the little restaurant. The tables are arranged in a way that makes it impassible for bathroom trips. You may even be seated with someone from a different country that doesn't even speak your language.. There are around 4 things on the menu, and you pick from that and they are only open for lunch. I had a taste of everything that they made and it was all delicious.

We had a great bible study. We discussed John 15 where Jesus talks about the Vine and the Branches. We had some amazing dialogue. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.... you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” It is another beautiful picture that Jesus paints. A gardener cares for his plant and prunes the branches so that it stays healthy. If a branch does not bear fruit it gets pruned and thrown away. He says, “apart from me you can do nothing.” A branch without a vine is a dead branch...

Friday 7/22/11

So, today has mostly been in preparation of tomorrow.. Vangela, Sharon, Dennis, Karen, Micah and I are here in Florence. Shannon, Tayler, and Jodi are now in Naples at the Hotel Fly. Andrew is leaving soon or on his way to Rome on a plane. We will be leaving Florence tomorrow by train for Rome to meet up with Andrew and then once we meet up with him, on to Naples. When we are all in Naples we will meet up with Doug Valenzuela and Tony Aruta and go by bus to the old mill camp that is in Caserta. Then we meet up with the youth, start our camp, and begin the fun and games. Joubert may be able to come and meet up with us at the camp as well which would be a huge blessing as he speaks Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and English.. and because he is a man after Gods heart.  Here we go! Woo Hoo!!