One of the simple pleasures of life. Talking with friends for long hours, and eating al fresco. After the talk in the Harold Acton Library on Brexit (write up to come soon) I headed with a visiting friend to buy fresh pane, pomodori e formaggio along with a cool birra and walked up the many steps to Piazzale Michelangelo in the dying heat of the day to watch the sunset over the city.
The steps up to the famous viewing point are always crowded with people, we even saw a bride and groom still in all their wedding garb clambering amongst the crowd to get a good view. Everyone comes here, from the Gucci-wearing fashionistas to the buskers with no shoes. If you don't get a good spot to see the sunset people watching comes in as a close second. We sat at David's green feet (the bronze replica of Michelangelo's real statue) away from the main cluster of crowd watching the midsummer sun snake away through the clouds. Apparently the statue was originally brought up by nine pairs of oxen back in 1873 which must have been quite a sight. I think I almost prefer this version of David, out in the open air, looking out over the city like some great protector. These spaces are built for people to linger in, you feel that keenly in the evening hours.
