Siena- Bella Toscana!

So, our new roommate Anne (from the Netherlands) and myself decided to head to Siena on Sunday for a day trip. My other roommate Trevor told us that it would be better to take the bus, and so I promptly looked up the schedule, but forgot to look up where the actual bus station was...oops! So bright and early Sunday morning, Anne and I are using our choppy Italian to find out where the station is. I did know that it was supposed to be near the train station, but the buses you take to Siena I found out are not at the bus station connected to the Santa Maria Novella train station, but instead are around the corner a couple blocks. Well, never fear we made it in just enough time to buy our tickets, and catch the bus!



The ride there is beautiful! So, this is what the Tuscany I've seen on so many postcards and in movies looks like! I loved the mix of people on the bus because there were an equal number of Italians and foreigners all taking the day or several days to see the lovable Siena. Oh, and Ellen, I found our Italian villa like I promised! I have no idea who lives there or if they would let our family come and live there;) but I have found it nonetheless on the bus ride there (the picture I took is too far away so you can't really see it but if you see that little road it is the only yellow house out there! Trust me on this one it is beautiful, and has it's own vineyard)


Now, after having been there I understand the rivalry between Florence and Siena. Florence has the Arno river and some of the best Renaissance art, but Siena has spectacular atmosphere and Tuscan scenery. After the bus ride, we got out and went to Il Campo, the city's impressive city square.












These pictures were taken at like 10am, and by the later afternoon this square was crawling with people eating lunch, chasing pigeons, and enjoying the sun that we were so blessed with all day long! We then went to the Duomo, another impressive church with crazy mosaics all in the interior.



The rest of the day was spent wandering where we came across some sort of race that was going on throughout the city so we of course stopped for a moment and cheered the runners on! On our wanderings, I was blown kisses by an Italian gentleman and told that he loved me and then was given a flower just on the other side of the square by another young gentleman. Oh the Italians!

We then grabbed a panini and ate/read by this lovely fountain.





There was this woman who was sitting near us taking in the sun.


I love this picture because it in a lot of ways captures the Italian spirit! I love that people young and old really get outside, and just sit back with no agenda but to enjoy the day.









Siena is great! Hopefully next time I go to Italy (perhaps when the family all come to live in that villa), I will get to explore more of Tuscany and beyond!

Off to Rome today!
Ciao,
Rachel


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