Latest / Abide Meditation App / Soothing Travel Sleepy Story _ Dreamy Views of Florence _ Travel Bedtime Story

Transcript

Soothing Travel Sleepy Story _ Dreamy Views of Florence _ Travel Bedtime Story · Abide Meditation App

• 0:02
  Speaker 1: Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: we get sleepy. My name's Thomas, and it's such a
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: pleasure to be your host. Thanks for tuning in. Tonight,
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: we'll take a relaxing trip to the beautiful city of
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: Florence in Italy. This small city was once a major
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: world power and the center of a cultural revolution, the Renaissance.
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: As you explore the streets and discover the art and architecture,
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: you'll soon understand what makes Florence so special. Let's get
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: nicely settled in for the night ahead. All you need
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: to concern yourself with right now is ensuring you're comfortable
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: in bed and that you've put any physical distractions to
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: one side. With your eyes gently closed, just begin to
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: slow your breathing to a pace that suits you. allowing
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: the air to flow in steadily and relaxing the muscles
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: as it flows back out. If you're finding that thoughts
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: are coming and going with a fair bit more frequency
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: than you'd like, I have a suggestion for you to try.
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: Seeing as blocking out thoughts or telling your mind to
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: be quiet doesn't tend to work too well. I think
• 2:09
  Speaker 1: it's better to accept that your mind wants to continue
• 2:13
  Speaker 1: doing its job even when you're laying in bed, but
• 2:17
  Speaker 1: to give it a simple, calming task to focus on
• 2:22
  Speaker 1: instead of the swirls of thoughts that can feel overwhelming. So,
• 2:31
  Speaker 1: for the next few moments, I'd like you to try
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: visualizing a familiar journey that brings you back to your home.
• 2:44
  Speaker 1: This could be a walk, a bike ride, a car journey.
• 2:50
  Speaker 1: So long as it's a route that you know well
• 2:53
  Speaker 1: and one that returns you to the comfort of home.
• 3:02
  Speaker 1: Wherever you're starting this journey from, just picture the scene
• 3:07
  Speaker 1: around you in your imagination. As you move along, think
• 3:19
  Speaker 1: about the things you see and the sounds drifting through
• 3:24
  Speaker 1: the air. Step by step, or with each turn of
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: a wheel, the scene develops around you, taking you that
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: bit closer to home. Notice if there are any smells
• 3:55
  Speaker 1: in the air that stand out. Do certain parts of
• 4:02
  Speaker 1: the route conjure memories of times gone by? And how
• 4:09
  Speaker 1: does all of it make you feel? Allow your imagination
• 4:20
  Speaker 1: to guide you along the familiar route back home. An
• 4:27
  Speaker 1: experience that will be entirely unique to you and only you.
• 4:39
  Speaker 1: And as you approach home now, think about how it
• 4:44
  Speaker 1: feels to know you're so close to the place where
• 4:49
  Speaker 1: you can rest and recharge. When you eventually arrive, open
• 5:00
  Speaker 1: the door and step inside, paying attention to the way
• 5:08
  Speaker 1: that makes you feel as well. This visualization is one
• 5:20
  Speaker 1: you can use whenever you like. And you can take
• 5:25
  Speaker 1: that journey again in your own time. But for now,
• 5:33
  Speaker 1: you're home and you can relax. So allow your imagination
• 5:42
  Speaker 1: to take you on a new journey. Perhaps one that
• 5:47
  Speaker 1: is less familiar, but no less peaceful and relaxing. Imagine
• 5:57
  Speaker 1: that you're on holiday in Florence, and you're walking along
• 6:03
  Speaker 1: the stone streets on your way to see one of
• 6:07
  Speaker 1: the most famous artworks of all time. This is where
• 6:16
  Speaker 1: our story begins. You walk slowly through the entrance of
• 6:45
  Speaker 1: the art gallery, your footsteps echoing on the stone floor.
• 6:53
  Speaker 1: Although you're excited to enter the next room You take
• 6:57
  Speaker 1: your time, savoring the sense of anticipation. In just a moment,
• 7:06
  Speaker 1: you'll be standing face to face with an icon. You're
• 7:14
  Speaker 1: visiting the Academia Gallery, located in the historic center of Florence.
• 7:22
  Speaker 1: This gallery is home to the most famous statue in
• 7:26
  Speaker 1: the world. Michelangelo's David. As you enter a long hallway
• 7:36
  Speaker 1: lined with sculptures and paintings, you catch your first glimpse.
• 7:44
  Speaker 1: The enormous statue is right at the end of the hall,
• 7:49
  Speaker 1: standing on a plinth. Michelangelo's masterpiece depicts the biblical hero David.
• 8:01
  Speaker 1: He's a muscular young man, standing tall and looking to
• 8:06
  Speaker 1: the side with an intense expression on his face. In
• 8:13
  Speaker 1: one hand, David holds a slingshot. He's preparing for his
• 8:19
  Speaker 1: battle with the giant Goliath. You walk closer, keen to
• 8:28
  Speaker 1: admire the artwork in more detail. David is so famous
• 8:35
  Speaker 1: that he feels strangely familiar. You've seen his image everywhere,
• 8:43
  Speaker 1: on posters, in books, and on countless souvenirs. It feels
• 8:50
  Speaker 1: surreal to see him in person. a little like meeting
• 8:56
  Speaker 1: a celebrity. But although you feel like you know the statue,
• 9:04
  Speaker 1: nothing compares to seeing it in person. David is larger
• 9:12
  Speaker 1: than life. He stands 17 feet tall, towering over the
• 9:19
  Speaker 1: visitors who stand below him. As you join the crowd,
• 9:26
  Speaker 1: you find yourself comparing the experience to a concert. David
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: is on a stage with his admiring fans gazing up
• 9:37
  Speaker 1: at him. Michelangelo's magnificent sculpture is so powerful and so
• 9:47
  Speaker 1: full of energy. You can't help but think of David
• 9:53
  Speaker 1: as a person rather than an artwork. It's easy to
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: imagine him coming to life, stepping down from his pedestal.
• 10:08
  Speaker 1: Of course, David is an idealized representation of the human form.
• 10:15
  Speaker 1: His incredible height and perfect physique aren't exactly realistic, and
• 10:22
  Speaker 1: certain details are exaggerated or out of proportion. Perhaps this
• 10:29
  Speaker 1: was intentional to make them more visible for people viewing
• 10:33
  Speaker 1: the statue from the ground. Yet, despite this, there's something
• 10:41
  Speaker 1: remarkably real about David. You notice the soft curves of
• 10:48
  Speaker 1: his muscles and the detailed outlines of the veins on
• 10:53
  Speaker 1: his hand. Then there's his face, full of expression and emotion.
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: With his furrowed brow and intense gaze, he seems so human.
• 11:11
  Speaker 1: How incredible you think that David was created from a
• 11:16
  Speaker 1: single block of marble. Michelangelo began work on David in
• 11:25
  Speaker 1: the year 1501, when he was just 26 years old.
• 11:32
  Speaker 1: At the time, city officials were wondering what to do
• 11:36
  Speaker 1: with a gigantic slab of poor quality marble. a couple
• 11:42
  Speaker 1: of artists had already tried to turn it into a
• 11:45
  Speaker 1: sculpture without success. The young Michelangelo had already created other
• 11:54
  Speaker 1: sculptures in his native Florence. He'd also carved the famous
• 12:00
  Speaker 1: statue of Jesus lying in Mary's lap, which is now
• 12:05
  Speaker 1: on display in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. But sculpting
• 12:14
  Speaker 1: David was his greatest challenge yet, and ended up as
• 12:20
  Speaker 1: one of his most noteworthy achievements. He spent three years
• 12:26
  Speaker 1: working on this sculpture, chipping away at the rough block
• 12:31
  Speaker 1: of marble. According to your guidebook, there's a beautiful quote
• 12:39
  Speaker 1: attributed to Michelangelo. In a letter, the artist wrote something
• 12:47
  Speaker 1: along these lines. I saw the angel in the marble
• 12:53
  Speaker 1: and carved until I set it free. As you continue
• 13:01
  Speaker 1: to admire the statue, walking around it so you can
• 13:05
  Speaker 1: appreciate every detail, you reflect on this idea, setting free
• 13:13
  Speaker 1: the angel in the marble. It's such a beautiful concept,
• 13:20
  Speaker 1: and it goes beyond this specific statue. There's something profound
• 13:27
  Speaker 1: about the idea of the artist's role, setting free their creation.
• 13:35
  Speaker 1: The artwork is then out there in the world, free
• 13:39
  Speaker 1: to be discovered by anyone and everyone. The city of
• 13:47
  Speaker 1: Florence is full of beautiful creations like David, just waiting
• 13:53
  Speaker 1: to be discovered. There's more to see in the Academia too,
• 14:01
  Speaker 1: including some other marble statues by Michelangelo, known as the Prisoners.
• 14:10
  Speaker 1: the figures seem to push their way out of the stone,
• 14:15
  Speaker 1: seeking to free themselves. You spend some more time exploring
• 14:24
  Speaker 1: the gallery, admiring other Renaissance artworks. But after a while,
• 14:32
  Speaker 1: you decide it's time to move on. Masterpieces like these
• 14:37
  Speaker 1: are best enjoyed a bit at a time. You remember
• 14:45
  Speaker 1: reading about an unusual phenomenon in Florence. While visiting the sites,
• 14:53
  Speaker 1: the French author Stendhal was so overcome with emotion that
• 14:59
  Speaker 1: he started to feel faint. Ever since, the term Stendhal
• 15:06
  Speaker 1: Syndrome has been used to describe the intense feelings that
• 15:11
  Speaker 1: some visitors experience in Florence. It's easy to feel a
• 15:19
  Speaker 1: little overwhelmed here. This small city has so much history
• 15:27
  Speaker 1: and amazing art and architecture everywhere you look. So it's
• 15:33
  Speaker 1: best to take it slow absorbing one thing at a time.
• 15:42
  Speaker 1: Perhaps you'll go to another gallery tomorrow, but for now,
• 15:48
  Speaker 1: you're ready to explore the city streets, wandering aimlessly through
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: the historic centre. Outside, it's a warm, sunny afternoon, but
• 16:04
  Speaker 1: there's a pleasant breeze in the air, carrying the scent
• 16:08
  Speaker 1: of jasmine and tantalizing smells from nearby restaurants. Florence feels
• 16:19
  Speaker 1: relaxed and laid back. It's more like a quiet town
• 16:25
  Speaker 1: than a bustling city, with most people getting around on
• 16:29
  Speaker 1: foot or by bike, and no one's rushing, People walk
• 16:36
  Speaker 1: slowly here, taking their time so they can appreciate the
• 16:41
  Speaker 1: beauty all around them. You find yourself slowing down too,
• 16:51
  Speaker 1: keeping pace with the city. As you stroll down a
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: narrow street, you admire the elegance of the old buildings,
• 17:02
  Speaker 1: which are mostly three or four stories high. Most are
• 17:09
  Speaker 1: painted similar shades of pale yellow, cream, or grey, while
• 17:16
  Speaker 1: the wooden shutters on the windows are brown or dark green.
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: Everything matches beautifully, and the colour scheme helps to create
• 17:28
  Speaker 1: a sense of tranquility and flow. One building merges seamlessly
• 17:36
  Speaker 1: into the next, and the winding streets flow on and on.
• 17:46
  Speaker 1: During your walk, you catch occasional glimpses of the Duomo,
• 17:52
  Speaker 1: the gigantic dome of the cathedral, which stands in the
• 17:57
  Speaker 1: heart of Florence. Every now and then, the dome appears
• 18:04
  Speaker 1: at the end of a street, like some vast, magical apparition.
• 18:13
  Speaker 1: Part of you is tempted to walk towards it, to
• 18:17
  Speaker 1: admire this majestic building up close. But you also like
• 18:23
  Speaker 1: the idea of leaving it for now, you'll save it
• 18:27
  Speaker 1: for later as a kind of treat. Right now, you're
• 18:35
  Speaker 1: happy to just wander without stopping to look at anything
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: in particular. You're absorbing it all, meandering through the shady streets.
• 18:52
  Speaker 1: Everywhere you go, there's a historic building or statue or
• 18:57
  Speaker 1: a sign commemorating some famous event or person. It's like
• 19:04
  Speaker 1: walking through an open-air museum. You remember reading that in
• 19:13
  Speaker 1: medieval times, Florence was one of the most important financial
• 19:18
  Speaker 1: centres in Europe. The city's connection to the Mediterranean Sea
• 19:25
  Speaker 1: through the Arno River facilitated international trade. Florence was famous
• 19:34
  Speaker 1: worldwide for its wool and luxury textiles, and busy merchants
• 19:40
  Speaker 1: made their fortune. At around this time in the 14th century,
• 19:50
  Speaker 1: Florence became the center of the Renaissance, a word that
• 19:55
  Speaker 1: means rebirth. The Renaissance was a cultural movement with innovation
• 20:05
  Speaker 1: in art, science, philosophy, and many other fields. Great thinkers
• 20:14
  Speaker 1: took inspiration from the past, such as the culture of
• 20:18
  Speaker 1: ancient Greece. But intellectuals were also looking forward, making exciting
• 20:27
  Speaker 1: new discoveries and finding new ways of thinking. It was
• 20:35
  Speaker 1: a time of extraordinary innovation, and Florence was at the
• 20:40
  Speaker 1: center of it all. It was the home to the
• 20:46
  Speaker 1: astronomer Galileo, whose discoveries were the foundation for modern science.
• 20:55
  Speaker 1: The great artist and scientist Leonardo da Vinci also lived
• 21:01
  Speaker 1: in this storied place. In fact, many of the great
• 21:08
  Speaker 1: artists of all time worked in Florence in roughly the
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: same period, including Michelangelo and Botticelli. It's amazing, you think,
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: just how many important people lived and worked in this city.
• 21:32
  Speaker 1: Was it just a coincidence? Or was there something special
• 21:37
  Speaker 1: about Florence? An answer to this question arrives just a
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: moment later in the form of a building. You're standing
• 21:52
  Speaker 1: in a square facing a grand castle-like structure. Its distinctive
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: bell tower adorned with a clock This is Palazzo Vecchio,
• 22:08
  Speaker 1: a name which translates as Old Palace. Even by Florence standards,
• 22:15
  Speaker 1: it's old, as it dates back to the 13th century.
• 22:24
  Speaker 1: This building was originally one of the residences of the
• 22:28
  Speaker 1: Medici family. The Medici were a banking dynasty. For generations,
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: they were one of the most powerful, rich and influential
• 22:42
  Speaker 1: families in Europe. There are many buildings in Florence associated
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: with the Medici, but Palazzo Vecchio is one of the
• 22:56
  Speaker 1: most striking. For a moment, You just stand there, gazing
• 23:04
  Speaker 1: up at the imposing brick facade. Then you turn to
• 23:11
  Speaker 1: your guidebook to learn more about the family who once
• 23:15
  Speaker 1: lived here. One of the most interesting aspects of the
• 23:22
  Speaker 1: Medici is their cultural influence. Due to their immense wealth,
• 23:31
  Speaker 1: they were able to commission works from some of the
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: most brilliant artists of the time, including Botticelli, Michelangelo, and Raphael.
• 23:47
  Speaker 1: The Medici were also the patrons of Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo,
• 23:53
  Speaker 1: and the architect Brunelleschi, who built the dome of the
• 23:58
  Speaker 1: cathedral in Florence. The support of this powerful family is
• 24:07
  Speaker 1: an intriguing common denominator. But of course, it can't be
• 24:13
  Speaker 1: quite that simple. In Renaissance Florence, so many different factors
• 24:21
  Speaker 1: came together, creating a vibrant culture and an intellectual atmosphere
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: that allowed talented people to flourish. You put away your
• 24:36
  Speaker 1: guidebook and continue to stroll through the square, enjoying the
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: warmth of the sun on your skin. This part of
• 24:48
  Speaker 1: the city has such a rich history. In this moment,
• 24:55
  Speaker 1: you're walking in the footsteps of some of the most
• 24:58
  Speaker 1: important and influential people to have ever lived. Yet at
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: the same time, this square is just like any other
• 25:12
  Speaker 1: Italian piazza. There are locals walking their dogs, children playing,
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: and couples strolling hand in hand. In the middle of
• 25:27
  Speaker 1: this historical location, people go about their everyday lives. The
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: contrast is strange in a way, but it also makes
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: the city's history feel less distant and more accessible. You
• 25:48
  Speaker 1: can imagine a sense of continuity throughout the centuries. When
• 25:57
  Speaker 1: you catch a sight of a smartly dressed Italian family,
• 26:01
  Speaker 1: you imagine for a moment a they might be descendants
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: of the Medici. Or perhaps the connection between past and
• 26:11
  Speaker 1: present exists in another form, not through family, but through
• 26:18
  Speaker 1: cultural influence. As people continue to visit Florence, finding inspiration
• 26:27
  Speaker 1: in the beautiful art and architecture, the spirit of the
• 26:32
  Speaker 1: Renaissance city lives on. You wander into the shade of
• 26:41
  Speaker 1: a nearby street, where you spot a group of friends
• 26:46
  Speaker 1: enjoying ice cream. Suddenly, you find that you also have
• 26:53
  Speaker 1: a craving for something sweet, and a little further along,
• 26:59
  Speaker 1: on the corner, you come across a gelato shop. There's
• 27:08
  Speaker 1: a whole rainbow of flavors on display. Strawberry, mandarin, lemon, kiwi, blueberry.
• 27:22
  Speaker 1: You're tempted by the chocolatey flavors too, but on this
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: warm afternoon, you feel like something light and fruity. So,
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: you get a cone with two large scoops of creamy
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: lemon gelato. The woman hands you the cone with a smile,
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: explaining that it's made with some of the best lemons
• 27:52
  Speaker 1: in Italy. They're grown in the south, on the Amalfi Coast,
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: As you eat the gelato, you close your eyes for
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: a moment, savoring the delicious, zesty flavor. The cool intensity
• 28:16
  Speaker 1: of the citrus taste seems to transport you away from
• 28:21
  Speaker 1: the city to a sunny lemon grove. You can imagine
• 28:29
  Speaker 1: endless rows of lemon trees in a garden high above
• 28:34
  Speaker 1: the sea. The light blue of the cloudless sky merges
• 28:40
  Speaker 1: beautifully into the dazzling sapphire of the ocean. When you
• 28:50
  Speaker 1: open your eyes, the daydream fades, but this sense of
• 28:56
  Speaker 1: peace stays with you as you continue to eat. It's
• 29:03
  Speaker 1: the taste of summer, you think. Another time, you'll have
• 29:09
  Speaker 1: to venture further south in Italy and visit the place
• 29:14
  Speaker 1: where the lemons grow. The gelato is wonderfully refreshing and
• 29:23
  Speaker 1: the subtle sweetness gives you a light energy boost. Although
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: you're feeling a bit tired, you're happy to walk on,
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: seeing more of this beautiful city. Soon, you find yourself
• 29:44
  Speaker 1: walking down a street with a difference. At first, it
• 29:50
  Speaker 1: seems like an ordinary street, lined with shops on both sides.
• 29:59
  Speaker 1: But when you look into a shop, you can see
• 30:02
  Speaker 1: right through the window on the other side of the building. Beyond,
• 30:10
  Speaker 1: there's a view of the sky and a distant hill
• 30:14
  Speaker 1: crowned with cypress trees. This street is actually a footbridge,
• 30:25
  Speaker 1: the oldest in Florence. Ponte Vecchio crosses the Arno River.
• 30:34
  Speaker 1: Ever since its construction in medieval times, the bridge has
• 30:39
  Speaker 1: been a shopping district. Originally, there were all kinds of
• 30:45
  Speaker 1: shops here, including butchers and fishmongers. But in the 16th century,
• 30:56
  Speaker 1: a Medici Duke objected to the marketplace atmosphere. Preferring something
• 31:03
  Speaker 1: a little more refined, he ordered that all the shops
• 31:07
  Speaker 1: be replaced with goldsmiths and jewelers. And it's been that
• 31:14
  Speaker 1: way ever since. Today, as you walk across the bridge,
• 31:21
  Speaker 1: you notice that every window is full of glittering gold. rings, bracelets,
• 31:30
  Speaker 1: and necklaces. The Medici family also made another significant change
• 31:40
  Speaker 1: to Ponte Vecchio. Back when the bridge was still home
• 31:46
  Speaker 1: to butchers and fishmongers, the Medici ordered the construction of
• 31:51
  Speaker 1: a covered walkway right above the shops. It's known as
• 31:58
  Speaker 1: the Vasari Corridor. This corridor gave the Grand Duke easy
• 32:06
  Speaker 1: access between two buildings. From his palace, he could walk
• 32:13
  Speaker 1: directly to the offices on the other side of the river.
• 32:19
  Speaker 1: That way, he didn't have to mingle with the crowds
• 32:22
  Speaker 1: on the bridge or smell the shops. These days, the
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: Duke's palace and offices are both open to the public.
• 32:36
  Speaker 1: The offices, or uffizi, were converted into the famous art
• 32:43
  Speaker 1: gallery of the same name. According to your guidebook, the
• 32:50
  Speaker 1: Duke's corridor is currently closed to the public, but it's
• 32:55
  Speaker 1: due to reopen soon. As you stand on the bridge,
• 33:04
  Speaker 1: you look up above the shops and notice the row
• 33:08
  Speaker 1: of small windows on the top story. This must be
• 33:14
  Speaker 1: the corridor. You imagine the Duke walking along here on
• 33:20
  Speaker 1: his way to work, enjoying the luxurious privacy of his
• 33:25
  Speaker 1: very own passageway. Although you can't visit the corridor right now,
• 33:34
  Speaker 1: you can enjoy a different kind of luxury. Walking past
• 33:40
  Speaker 1: the jewelry shops, you reach the middle of the bridge,
• 33:44
  Speaker 1: where there's an open space. Here, you can walk right
• 33:51
  Speaker 1: to the edge and admire the view of the river.
• 33:59
  Speaker 1: Standing on the low stone wall, you let your gaze
• 34:05
  Speaker 1: slowly drift. To the left of the river, you can
• 34:11
  Speaker 1: see an elegant old building, the Uffizi Gallery. The walls
• 34:19
  Speaker 1: seem to glow gold in the afternoon sunlight. You notice
• 34:27
  Speaker 1: the line of small windows along the side and wonder
• 34:32
  Speaker 1: if this is the continuation of the private corridor. Then
• 34:39
  Speaker 1: you find yourself daydreaming about other secret rooms and mysterious windows.
• 34:48
  Speaker 1: There must be so many magical hidden places in a
• 34:53
  Speaker 1: city like this. The view from the bridge is so perfect,
• 35:03
  Speaker 1: it resembles a well-composed painting. In the middle, there's the tranquil,
• 35:11
  Speaker 1: shimmering river which mirrors the sky. Along both banks, there
• 35:18
  Speaker 1: are rows of beautiful old buildings in shades of cream, gold,
• 35:25
  Speaker 1: and pale orange. And in the distance, you can see
• 35:32
  Speaker 1: another bridge, an ancient tower, and a hill that rises gently.
• 35:43
  Speaker 1: All along the top are tall, thin cypress trees. There's
• 35:51
  Speaker 1: a part of you that longs to go there, to
• 35:56
  Speaker 1: stand on that distant hill. and see Florence from another perspective.
• 36:06
  Speaker 1: But as you daydream about the journey, picturing yourself climbing
• 36:11
  Speaker 1: the hill, you realize just how tired you are. After
• 36:18
  Speaker 1: a long day of walking and sightseeing, you're ready to
• 36:23
  Speaker 1: sit down and rest for a while. Fortunately you're staying
• 36:32
  Speaker 1: in a hotel in the center and it's just a
• 36:36
  Speaker 1: few streets away. You retrace your steps wandering through the
• 36:43
  Speaker 1: cool shade of the back streets until you reach the hotel.
• 36:52
  Speaker 1: Your room is located on the top floor. It's small
• 36:57
  Speaker 1: but comfortable and decorated with beautiful patterns and fabrics. The
• 37:07
  Speaker 1: curtains look like something from a Medici palace. A creamy
• 37:13
  Speaker 1: velvet with intricate floral designs in varying shades of red.
• 37:22
  Speaker 1: This design must be intentional, you think. as a tribute
• 37:27
  Speaker 1: to Florence's history and its famous textile industry. But there's
• 37:37
  Speaker 1: something else that makes this hotel room so special. You
• 37:42
  Speaker 1: wanted a room with a view, and here it is.
• 37:51
  Speaker 1: Drawing back the curtains, you open the door, and step
• 37:56
  Speaker 1: onto the balcony. Right in front of you, rising up
• 38:03
  Speaker 1: from a sea of terracotta rooftops, is the Duomo, the
• 38:10
  Speaker 1: iconic dome of the cathedral. This vast structure is made
• 38:20
  Speaker 1: of orange-red brick, and is adorned with an ornate lantern
• 38:25
  Speaker 1: made from white marble. And at the very top is
• 38:31
  Speaker 1: a bronze ball and cross. It's the final decorative flourish,
• 38:40
  Speaker 1: like the cherry on the cake. The extraordinary building is
• 38:48
  Speaker 1: the symbol of Florence. and it also represents the spirit
• 38:54
  Speaker 1: of the Renaissance. You remember reading about the construction of
• 39:02
  Speaker 1: the dome, which was designed by Brunelleschi. Building work on
• 39:10
  Speaker 1: the Florence Cathedral had begun in the year 1296, but
• 39:17
  Speaker 1: more than a century later it remained unfinished, In 1418,
• 39:26
  Speaker 1: the city decided that it was time to find an
• 39:30
  Speaker 1: architect who was up to the challenge of designing a huge,
• 39:35
  Speaker 1: self-supporting dome. There was disagreement about how it should be
• 39:43
  Speaker 1: done and who should get the commissions. Brunelleschi was a
• 39:50
  Speaker 1: local goldsmith who'd never built anything. But he had a
• 39:56
  Speaker 1: vision for the dome, and he also had the support
• 40:00
  Speaker 1: of the Medici family. And, according to legend, Brunelleschi found
• 40:09
  Speaker 1: an unusual way to convince the panel of commissioners. During
• 40:17
  Speaker 1: the meetings, He suggested that the project should go to
• 40:21
  Speaker 1: the architect, who could make an egg stay upright, standing
• 40:26
  Speaker 1: on its end. An egg was passed around the table
• 40:33
  Speaker 1: from person to person, but of course, no one could
• 40:38
  Speaker 1: make the egg stay upright. Each time, it rolled over.
• 40:48
  Speaker 1: When it was Brunelleschi's turn, he took the egg and
• 40:53
  Speaker 1: tapped it against the table, breaking the shell. The egg
• 40:59
  Speaker 1: stayed upright and he got the commission. Whether or not
• 41:07
  Speaker 1: the story is true, there's no doubt that Brunelleschi was
• 41:13
  Speaker 1: an amazingly innovative architect. The dome is an incredible feat
• 41:21
  Speaker 1: of engineering, consisting of more than four million bricks. Even today,
• 41:31
  Speaker 1: it's the world's largest brick and mortar dome. As you
• 41:39
  Speaker 1: stand on the balcony, admiring the magnificent building in front
• 41:44
  Speaker 1: of you, you think of the story of the egg
• 41:48
  Speaker 1: and smile. Just like Michelangelo, who saw the angel in
• 41:55
  Speaker 1: the marble, Brunelleschi also saw something extraordinary in the everyday.
• 42:05
  Speaker 1: Perhaps this was something that the Renaissance geniuses of Florence
• 42:10
  Speaker 1: all had in common. You're feeling thirsty after your long walk.
• 42:20
  Speaker 1: So you head inside the room and pour yourself a
• 42:25
  Speaker 1: glass of mineral water from the fridge. Then you go
• 42:31
  Speaker 1: back onto the balcony and sit down in the comfortable
• 42:36
  Speaker 1: lounge chair. As you sip the cool water, feeling relaxed
• 42:45
  Speaker 1: and refreshed, you continue to gaze at the beautiful dome.
• 42:53
  Speaker 1: In the golden light of late afternoon, it reminds you
• 42:58
  Speaker 1: of the setting sun. Everything about this place is so perfect,
• 43:07
  Speaker 1: you think. The view of the dome and the surrounding rooftops.
• 43:17
  Speaker 1: The evocative, high-pitched calls of the swifts as they soar
• 43:23
  Speaker 1: through the sky. And the scent of jasmine from a
• 43:30
  Speaker 1: nearby terrace. Breathing in, you savor this rich, perfumed fragrance.
• 43:42
  Speaker 1: At this time of day, with evening approaching, the scent
• 43:48
  Speaker 1: of jasmine somehow seems stronger, more intense. Or perhaps you're
• 43:57
  Speaker 1: just more aware of it than before. Your senses heightened,
• 44:04
  Speaker 1: after a day immersed in the beauty of Florence. Whatever
• 44:13
  Speaker 1: the reason, you find yourself relishing the scent now. You
• 44:21
  Speaker 1: continue to slowly breathe in and out, gazing at the
• 44:28
  Speaker 1: dome The red bricks seem to merge into the soft
• 44:35
  Speaker 1: golden light glowing at the edges. As you watch the
• 44:45
  Speaker 1: light gradually fade, you treasure every moment. Sitting here on
• 44:55
  Speaker 1: the balcony, you feel so fortunate. You've had a wonderful
• 45:03
  Speaker 1: day in Florence, and now you can rest here for
• 45:10
  Speaker 1: as long as you like, simply enjoying the view. Thank you.
• 45:59
  Speaker 1: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So Thank you. Thank you.
• 48:57
  Speaker 1: Thank you for watching. Thank you for watching. Thank you.
• 50:16
  Speaker 1: Thank you. Thank you.