Tarawa (CV 40) - Naval Cruise Book

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LORNE F ALL of the places we visited in Italy, Florence seemed least affected by the passage of time. Here nearly everything remained unspoiled and unaltered, each work of art resting serenely still at the site which was originally intended for it. We crowded from place to place trying to include in our itinerary as many of the magnificent works as possible in the time allowed. The guide hurled illustrious names at us: Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, Michelangelo and others. And to most off us came, for the first time, an understanding of the great Medici family that ruled from this city' for over three hundred years. It was they whose care for the advancement Ancient Florence was impressive from 'rhe Piazzale Michelangelol for we knew of the wonders fhaf stood beneath crowded ro-offops. l of art and the sciences produced such wideleffects Not all Florenfine mosaics were of geometric de- sign. These proved fo be as delicate as paintings. The Michelangelo sculpfure over the door was forgoffen when fhe guide held our affenfion wifh a sfory of ifs origin. and who were responsible for the many treasures the city now possesses. So genuine and well preserved were the ancient buildings and works of art that when wandering through the narrow streets the effect was almost theatrical. Remove the street cars, diminutive automobiles, and replace the twentieth century clothing with hooded jerkins and flowing capes, and one would have stepped directly back into Florence of seven centuries ago, the most fascinating city of Italy.

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I l 1 Five cenfuries ago a Genoese boy named Chrisfopher Columbus played in 'I'he arch of Genoa's Cify Gafe and 'lhen scampered down 'lhe road io his small brick home. The remains of bofh of fhese siruc+ures are preserved foclay in 'lhe miclsi' of modern buildings. beauliiul ce meiefles ln T sk . e OE illhe rn? 5 lo oi Slaqllalliil jvnas laid Oul in e CamPoSan ihe wo' ENOA was the cleanest and most modern of all the Italian cities wegvisited. By visiting this modern metropolis twice, we learned our way around rather well and we were therefore able to penetrate the city and learn more of its interesting places and of its history than of most ports. Many of the stores, though smaller, were similar to those we had been used to back home, with the exception, perhaps, that they lacked Hxed prices in all instances. Crossing a street in the business district was not quite as difficult as in New York, but one did well to keep a weather eye cocked for the speedy midget Fiats and Lancias. They zipped along doing their best to reach an 80 kilometer per hour speed limit Q50 mphj that was imposed in congested areas. l l