Florence - The muse of Inferno
SALIGIA - The seven deadly sins and nine rings of hell, what better way to read and learn about them than in a high dose of adrenaline packed novel written by our very own interpreter of a good hearted American professor - Dan Brown !!
But I'm not going to get into much technicalities of this novel, for several reviews are already available on the net. Soon after my Roman rendezvous, I was headed to Florence. I had no much idea what I had to expect from this place. Luckily a friend of mine had taken care of my stay and I were to meet a guy named Anuj once I reached Florence. And there he was...all smiles...nothing like an Indian to greet you with all smiles in a foreign city.
I was treated with a quick yet luxurious breakfast of chocolate croissant and coffee. Nothing like having an early morning breakfast with the Tuscans. I was just enjoying the croissant and suddenly spotted a huge book on the coffee table, INFERNO - Dan Brown ! Wait a minute, what? A new Dan Brown novel?? And I get to know about it now? (only close friends would know my obsession with Dan Brown). I jumped for the book, wait, no , this cant be ! The book was in Italian ! Noo!
I soon calmed myself that I would get my claws on this book the first thing I get back home. I did, and after reading the book I felt a bit devastated. I should have read this book before I visited Florence, for I would have been a better judge of the city's beauty and heritage. The book itself has some bleak plots and make believe situations which are hard to understand. But for an average reader like me with even more average knowledge of historical places, the book was a win-win.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed the city. The Arno river was the first thing to greet me into the city. This time around I dint take any city tour bus for I was told the size of the city was quite small and I would most definitely enjoy the place by walk. I covered the following places and when I think about them, I soon relate to Inferno.
Ponte Vecchio - The overhead bridge which Robert Langdon and Sienna used to escape from Vayentha - The spike haired woman with a BMW bike, wowy !
Palazzo Vecchio - Where Langdon , the sneaky professor that he is, steals Dante's Death Mask, You criminal You !
Dante's church (Santa Margherita) - Where Langdon forcefully surfed net on an old woman's iPhone, too rude of you Mr.Langdon, haven't you heard of overseas data charges?
Boboli gardens - Langdon and Sienna spent an entire half novel in, just dodging the WHO gaurds, and did so successfully, thanks to our bald lady Sienna with a 207 IQ !
Piazza Della Republica - This place covered all the famous statues like that of Michelangelo's David, Perseus and Medusa, Hercules, Neptune fountain with Poseidon surrounded by sea nymphs, Giambologna...soo on and so forth.
And of course the shopping streets, Para Para Paradise...oooo...
As all good things must come to an end (whoever invented that !), my Tuscany trip had to end as well ! Not only was the city outstanding, the food was equally abundant in flavors.
Dante is the most important figure in the history of Florence and it took Dan Brown to ignite true Dante fever in the Tuscan capital. I finally rid goodbye to my host and made my way back home.
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