Florence Kitsch ???

Florence is important - it is the birthplace of the Renaissance; it is the town that sheltered Galileo when he contradicted the Church and proclaimed that the Earth orbits the Sun.  It is ground zero for some of the most important developments in art and science.

Knowing this, why is it that I walk through Florence for the first time and the word that keeps popping into my head - over and over, like a song you can't stop humming - is kitsch?

I am repeatedly reminded of International Drive in Orlando, FL...except instead of shops selling cheap trinkets and t-shirts, Florence is shops selling cheap trinkets, expensive trinkets, and leather goods.  This picture taken on the way home tonight in Florence, Italy says it all:

I'll stop after this, but I have to say that when walking to museums in Rome, you felt like you were walking through Rome.  While walking to the museum tonight to see Michelangelo's David, one of the most recognized works of art in history, I felt like I was walking through the Abraj al Bait Mall (that would be the largest shopping mall in the world). 

The Ponte Vecchio, which I pictured as a classic bridge over the river akin to what is found in Paris, is instead the "Golden Bridge", a shopping mall for trinkets and watches, some expensive, some not so much.

Now, there all advantages to this:

Since everything seemed so topsy-turvy in my head trying to process the excessive shopping, the over-the-top towers and churches, and the massive crowds on a Saturday, what do you do to ground yourself?  Grab a kebab!

After a good Turkish kebab and Donner wrap, we saw this Gelateria that was absolutely packed up a side street.  Counterclockwise, that's Chocolate, Hazelnut, and Lemon.  The chocolate was rich and dark.  The hazelnut was creamy and chunky.  The lemon was like my extra-tart lemon meringue pie squeezed into a frozen ball, and as my favorite dessert, that is a high compliment!

I give you the Three Musketeers of Gelato!

From now on, I will try and speak to the art and architecture and beauty of Florence (and, of course, the food), but I had to get this off of my chest immediately.  Thanks for listening.