From Florences Renaissance glories to the heart of our nation.

Byline: Ino Manalo, Contributor

I HAD taken my mother on a trip to Florence to cheer her up after my fathers death. Since she had seen most of the important sights, we decided to concentrate on those that were not as popular and populated. This would mean the Palazzo Davanzati, the Bargello, the Brancacci Chapel, and the San Marco.

The Davanzati houses a museum on Florentine home life. Its star attraction is a Renaissance period toilet. For some reason, bathroom facilities from earlier historical periods always manage to draw crowds.

The Bargello is the citys sculpture museum. Among its most famous pieces are the statues of David, which predate Michelangelos own celebrity creation.

The Brancacci Chapel is in the Church of the Carmelites. Noteworthy here is Masaccios Expulsion of Adam and Eve. A wonderful bonus is an animated film being shown in a small auditorium, which brings to life the figures in the churchs murals.

After seeing the sites, we were so exhausted we couldnt resist a cool drink at a museum cafe. Since beverages are so expensive in tourists spots in Europe, I found myself asking …