Ethel & Irv Jaker: 1973

 

Ethel Selmonsky Jaker & Irv Jaker  - 6/17/73

 

A story from Ethel’s travel diary from a previous trip in 1967:

 

July 19, 1967- Florence

 

Poor Firenze – all muddy from the flood of last year, but working very hard at restoration.  One sees signs of it all over.

 

The buildings are all in a state of repair and streets torn up and being fixed.  We wondered with all the people working whether the flood didn’t give employment to many Florentines.

 

The saddest sight to me was the interior of the Duomo.  The magnificent tombs by Michelangelo and Bernini and other famous sculpturers were nowhere to be seen.  Part was fenced off and looking through slats one saw that the floor had been washed away and that they were working on the restoration.