La Costa Siena

... I have to walk across town to get to class now. One good thing that came out of this, however, is that because we were so close to her apartment she decided to invite the entire class over for a tea party after class today. Not sure why or how she came up with this idea, but I thought it was really cute.

This was the first genuine Italian apartment inhabited by genuine Italians that I ...

... 54,000 also in Italy’s Tuscany region, has been a historic adversary to Florence for centuries. Some say that rivalry continues even today. While Florence is a Renaissance city, Siena is largely Gothic, its medieval center full of majestic buildings and historical significance (the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Indeed, as we found out when we arrived, Siena is an enchanting little town, with eight original city gates, high walls ...

Arezzo, la ville qui a suposement inspirer michelange !! 500 ans plus tard, on se deman de bien ce qui a pu l'inspirer! Puis c'est roberto bellini qui a fait son fillm "la vita est bella" dans les cantons a l'extrerieur des murs de la ville. C'est vrai que ...

Siena photos here:
http://www.facebook.com/album. php?aid=164853&id=613699523&l=d 7d2db6b42

Thursday caught a bus to Siena with Nonie and Kerrin.
The Duomo there is one of the best and most beautiful churches I've seen inside and out - and I've seen more than enough churches to last ...

... than 1.5%. The tests of a good olive oil are colour, smell and taste or acidity, very similar to how we test wine – a chemical analysis of the acidity can be done as well but the senses provide a better tell than the analytic component. A good smell is a vegetable versus animal smell which is considered bad. The perfect smell is similar to that of clean fresh cut grass or a fruity or slightly nutty smell. After the nose, the tongue (the idea of drinking oil to me was ...

On the way from Florence to Rome, we stopped in Siena – a picturesque Tuscan town north of Rome.

Our local guide explained that the city is divided into neighborhoods (Toads, Owls, etc!!) that are much more than our US neighborhoods. Even if you move away or marry someone from another neighborhood, you are still a member of your family's neighborhood. The neighborhood takes care of you if you are ill, need a home, etc. We ...

... once again used the public city bus to get into town. Upon arriving our group made a be-line for the bike store. We got there and the place was packed with people from our group. We all got our turn to go into the shop and this time I got to go into the back room. When I got there the old lady from the day before was there and on one wall was a bike frame and pictures of a cyclist named Rossi who was a Provincial biking champion in the 50’s. The woman told us in Italian that ...

... the locals have generally dressed well. It was expected in Rome where business folks are flying everywhere, but it wasn't as outstanding in the smaller Tuscan towns. We arrived in Siena (a middling size city) and immediately felt majorly under-dressed. Everyone was impeccably outfitted in designer clothes. Especially after wearing the same clothes for three months we felt pretty sheepish in our well-worn camping attire. The shopping trip was a big boost to the ego here. C

... home it is usually about 4:00. 18 - 20th April Last weekend I went to Florence with Pam, a woman from Canada I have met here. We caught the bus up Friday after school (1hour) checked in to our hotel (which I had booked cheap over the internet) and in no time were in the queue to see David. It was Pam's first time so was fantastic to see her reaction when she saw him. We only had to stand in the line for ...

... places like I do when surrounded by people who snore so loud my bed vibrates!! But hey...don't you feel more alive backpacking?!!! hmmm?? Had dinner in a fairly non-touristy restaurant (I don't normally like Firenze because of the mass of american tourists!) and was sooo good to catch up! Thankfully the next morning the car was still there and we travelled down to Siena (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the Toscan ...