Day 2 - Siena, Italy

See the pictures too!

Shorter train ride ^


First night train: Greg

Woke up at 5 something in Verona. Ashley did too and our compartment door was off its track so we couldn’t open it no matter how hard we tried. Eventually someone else awake came by and tried with difficulty. Then we tried to go to the bathroom but the train stopped and we had to wait 20 min to go (the toilet empties on the track). Our next stop was Bologna then somewhere else…So we rode for quite a few hours more through beautiful country and long tunnels. There were so many trees along the track it was hard to take pictures.

Then we arrived in Florence and stayed there for a little bit. We were allowed to get breakfast in the station but we went and wandered around Florence for a bit. Very pretty and old. Next we hopped on an uncomfortable train for 2 hours (where I slept) to Siena. Next stop: hell.

Because my backpack readjusted itself, all the weight centered on my shoulders not hips. So with excruciating pain and hot weather, we had to hike 2-3 miles almost completely uphill to the hostel. I was so red and people had soaked their shirts in sweat. (I can’t seem to write well.) After a rest we took our small packs and walked another few miles to the real Siena (walled in).

First stop: gelato. Oh gelato, how I love thee. Then we bought bread, cheese, meat, and soda (For me. Only 80 cents!) We took our group to the fountain with swans and ducks and ate. Then Gionet took us through the city, saw great architecture, and then arrived at the famous Il Campo! This is the race track where the Palio race (bare-back) takes place once a year. There are 17 contradas in Siena and 10 race each year. This is like Super Bowl to them, if not bigger. We entered the huge building where the horses would be stalled. Part of the building is a huge tower which I climbed. Their staircase was absolutely tiny. But it was so worth it. The view was incredible. You could see all of Siena and beyond. Pictures won’t do it justice. After the easier descend we had a group picture. Then we headed to the cathedral, Il Duomo. It’s magnificent (just like all the other European cathedrals only with a little more than some). I don’t know why there were biker helmets on the wall though…

Main entrance to Siena, Porcupine contrada territory.

Each contrada has a feast of their own on the nights of the practice races.


Porcupine flags. Gionet and son.


All of Siena looks like this.


It shrinks a lot of my photos :(









Il Campo, city hall, and part of the bell tower.


Top of tower.


Spraying down track for practice race. That dirt is nasty.




I climbed that dang tower.



Inside where the horses will be stalled.


Gah! I have to climb up that?






San Domenico I think.



The view is amazing. The city is so tightly packed! But you can see on forever past the city.




Mmm country side.



Gross.



View of most of Il Campo. Shaped like a shell, will be filled to the brim with hundreds of thousands of people.


No background view... oh well. The Amanda and I.








Il Duomo.



Unfinished. Would have become largest church in Europe apparently.














Bike helmets.... totally out of place.



Going deep into goose contrada below San Domenico, we went to their pond. With over 100 degree weather, their ice cold water is heaven to soak feet in (though almost painful at first). Then we wandered up all the steep hills to the church of San Domenico. It didn’t have as much as the Duomo and a service was going on… but I did see Saint Catherine’s mummified head! I didn’t see her fingers… though they are lent out to other churches.

Going to the pond. City wall right there.

Parker's 2 daughters and Gionet's 2 sons.

Us. Amanda, Me, Ashley.

Saint Catherine's preserved head in San Domenico.

I think we may have been sent free but I don’t remember. We went to Il Campo next which was getting crowded for the practice race. (The track goes around a large [dipped] area shaped like a shell, the fountain is the pearl.) When the race ended, a group of us ate at a restaurant on the edge of the track with the tower and main building as our backdrop. I had Siena style cooked chicken. It was pretty good but it seems that in Italy they serve you small portions.

Some of the group.

Not as crowded as the main race will be.

Here they come.

Lap 1

Lap 2

Lap 3, over fairly quickly.

Dinner. Nice background to eat with :P

Walking the few miles back to the hostel is annoying. First we passed the porcupine contrada’s feast, hoping they wouldn’t throw food. Then a quiet long walk back. There is almost no one on the road at 21:30 (9:30pm). Every light flashes yellow too.

Finally got our room and everyone stuck their heads out our large windows and talked to each other. (I shared a room with Amanda.) Then sleep. Ah yes, sleep.