How have I never heard of Sienna? Home to the most spectacular cathedral in Italy, perhaps even all of Europe according to Dario. Absolutely breathtaking.
My meager 8Gb storage in my phone has left me camera-less, which is a blessing as it turns out. Normally I would be looking for the perfect angle to frame the perfect shot, but for this trip, I am just soaking it all in.
Please come to Siena! The Florentine's really know how to create beauty! I won't even begin to try and describe this cathedral (Google it), but Mamma Mia, it is spectacular. Home to Donatello's first bronze sculpture in the new style showing movement and facial expressions. Also home to Raphael frescos galore and Michael Angelo sculptures. And the floors. Mamma Mia! Dario said we were very lucky to see the floors, as they are covered 10 months of the year to preserve them. I can't believe I stood in that kind of beauty. We were hustled through as part of the local walking tour pretty quickly, but the guide said we could go back and just tell them we wanted to go to the bookstore. Bill and I went back and spent another hour at our own pace soaking it all in with very few people around. Honestly, my advice would be to skip the Vatican all together and come to Siena.
Siena was also home to St. Catherine and houses two relics. Our elegant guide, Claudia, said that Siena had a good relationship with Rome and even though the body of St. Catherine is in Rome, they were kind enough to send two relics... Her head and her thumb. Yep, that's what I said. They waxed the tiny mummified head to preserve it and have it and the thumb on display in the church of Saint Catherine. Oh my god... Hard to believe that that's a thing, but there you have it.
The drive from Siena to Pienza, where we are now for one night was so beautiful (again, Bill has pictures). Pienza is Dario's favourite village in Tuscany. Famous for pecorino cheese and pici pasta which we will try tonight.
I asked Bill what we did yesterday and in looking over the pictures, we remembered wandering around the charming San Gimangnano, where the final scene from Tea With Mussolini was filmed, and looking at lovely things. San Gimangnano used to have 70 towers, until it was conquered by the Florentine's and the Medici family wanted to show there was a new power in town, so destroyed all but 13. While Volterra is one of the only intact original walled cities from the Middle Ages, much of San Gimangnano had to be rebuilt after being bombed badly in WWII.
More tidbits from Dario on the bus ride between towns:
Corruption in Italy is everywhere. One leader appointed his Dental Hygenist to President of the Lombardi region to show his appreciation for the excellent ladies she found for the "banga banga parties."
The winding road we are travelling on is very popular with cyclists and motor cyclists. But, "if you ask me there is too much cheating in cycling. I don't like it," says Dario.
Olive trees take 5 years to grow before the first harvest, but can live forever. There are some trees that are known to be over 1000 years old. Amazing.
Last thing. My birthday dinner last night. Dario asked us if we wanted to go to the sunset restaurant or a couple of other choices. Of course we chose the restaurant with the sunset view. Of course so did everyone else. We got a quiet table away from the group. And then the band started playing in the square in front of the restaurant. I did not know the accordion could be an essential instrument in a rock group. This young band belted out Personal Jesus and Rage Against the Machine like nobody's business. Jesus. So. Loud. So. Ridiculous and awesome.
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