Il Giardino Siena

We arrived from Lucca just in time for a sublime sunset... it was like the sky was on fire!! See photos!!<br>I was a bit pooped so I opted to stay in the scoobs reading and relaxing while Kim headed into the village to scope it out. <br>Next morning started with a beautiful sunrise which was quickly replaced by some storm clouds. Fortunatly the storm passed over without parting with a drop of rain and we had sun again when we both headed ...

... room in the afternoon and played cards on the terrace and drank the last of our beer. People were gathering under our terrace to take pictures and we had the terrace all to ourselves. This place has been so friendly and wonderful. Coletta and her sister E'letta have been such help. I think I spelled the names wrong and will check when I get home. We went back to the square to have another gigantic slice of ...

... It was the size of a small frozen Tony's party pizza from home. We then went to get Gelato (ice cream) and we walked the main strip with all the beautiful young Italians. It is Friday night and they were out full force and dressed to kill. It is amazing how we dress big and saggy in America (boys and girls) and here and when in London everything was tight, small to the waist in coats and shirts and tight jeans. The girls all wear the leggings with boots ...

I hope this works, it has been hard to attach some of the video because it times out. FYI to all my not so computer literate friends and family. When you first open the video, it will start and then stop in the middle to keep reloading and then start and stop again. This can get frustrating but is necessary until it is completely ...

... like we knew what we were looking at and of course I was talking when a young girl named Meghan came up to us and helped. Yes, a Meghan wow it was great. We talked to her and she was here on her own from Washington going to med school for free because she was volunteering at the hospital. She stays with an Italian family and she said it is O.K. We followed her and then she went one way and we ...

<br>I need to begin with just how wonderful I think my Hostel is! Good Food, Good People, Hot Water.<br><br>Unfortunately, I decided to test out all these factors all in the same day!<br>I woke at a reasonable time, and as is my usual, I like to wake up with a cup of tea, so as I meander into the kitchen and pour myself some freshly boiling water into my tea mug, my attention was diverted to the left, and my body follows, and I'm pouring boiling hot water all ...

... beautiful.... there were statues by Michelangelo in there and some other famous person I cant recall. But it took my breath away! Then we toured the Duomo museum and went to this little brick structure where you could see all of Siena out to the little Tuscan villas. Lovely. We walked more and ended up at a little restaurant near our hotel where you get free finger foods (little sandwiches and olives) for free (all you can eat ...

... an Italian cavalry charge, riders screaming with sabers drawn, that looked like it came out of the textbooks...I wouldn't want to be one of the guys on the other side of that. Then came the processions of the contradas, which usually included funny Renaissance getups, big swords and other weapons, banners, flag-throwers, pageboy wigs, trumpets and drums and of course the horse that would be racing (usually terrified and freaking out from all of the people and noise...a few ...

... You can't imagine the death stares that the drivers give one another...yikes. On the way we were going through the Tuscan countryside and it was as beautiful as it looks in any picture I've seen and yet every picture I have seen doesn't quite capture it correctly, you can't; I have tried and there are multiple pictures of the same vista to prove it. Standing in a postcard is surreal. We were greeted in Siena by massive fortress walls; the Medici family was ...

... and the food was excellent, even though the waitress spoke little English and we were not entirely certain what we had ordered. We will be going back there - especially after the complimentary biscotti and liqueurs! We are situated directly across the road from the ancient wall that ringed the town in the 15th century. It is intact and wide enough to walk on around the entire old town... tomorrow's aim. Looking forward to Siena...