A Tuscan Weekend 28/9-30/9

This post is about last weekend, 27/9-30/9.


Back tracking a bit, a few weeks ago I randomly met an American guy near the cathedral, on Thursday night he and I had dinner. Turns out, he is a cat. 2 road and track cyclist from the west coast, pretty cool. Since he’s staying the whole year he brought his road bike with him, I may have to borrow it a couple of weekends. At dinner I ate horse, it was lean like elk.

Early Friday morning the CIEE gang loaded up the bus, heading west towards our final destination of Siena. The weather was pretty crappy, I guess that happens occasionally after an endless stream of perfect days. First we stopped at Monteriggioni a former medieval town surround by 10 meter high walls sitting on a hill top. The town probably had 50 residents all who owned or worked in restaurants, gelatorias or gift stores, it was tourist trap.

We jumped back on the bus and drove to our hotel, which turned out to be a former winery turned condo style hotel twenty minutes outside Siena. A view from my front door:

We then headed into Siena for our afternoon tour. We visited the twelfth century Duomo which has a black and white stripped pattern giving it a untraditional look. I found the strips to be attractive on the outside but inside they started to wear on the eyes when mixed with frescos, chapels, stain glass, and mosaic floor. Inside the Duomo:

The duomo's facade:
The shell-shaped Piazza del Campo was the town center divided into 9 sloping parts making it comfortable for people watching. They hold a popular horse race, The Palio, twice a year around the outside that’s broadcast live on Sky Sports. Each of Siena’s 17 neighborhoods gets the chance to race; it’s a long complicated and very traditional process to see who gets to enter and which horse they are given. The winning neighborhoods host a huge party a couple of weeks after their victory. The Goose district was hosting their party on that Friday night, unfortunately we couldn’t attend. The Piazza del Campo:

After our hour of free time that I spent aimless wondering around Siena we two other girls, the group reconvened for a dinner on CIEE’s tap which included local delicacies: rabbit and wild boar. Yummm. . .

Saturday we had a guided tour of San Domenico, Sanctuary of Saint Catherine, the Palazzo Pubblico and the Torre del Mangia.
Early in the afternoon the group gather, loaded the bus, and took off to Pienza another beautiful hill top city.

Following another short bus ride we stopped in Montalcino for a wine tasting, the third town perched atop a hill. The wine tasting was inside a 13th century castle at a fancy enoteca, wine bar. We enjoyed two different DOCG Brunello’s and a Super Tuscan. I splurged on a 2001 bottle of Brunello. After a group photo we were off to dinner at the hotel and then bed. A view from the castle walls after the wine tasting:

The gang:
Sunday I wasn’t feeling the guided tour thing, so I zoned out for most of day has we another guided tour around Arezzo. I do remember seeing/hearing about the Basilica of San Domenico which plays host to Crucifix by Cimabue, a masterwork of 13th century Italian art. We visited the Basilica of San Francesco, Cathedral of Arezzo, Santa Maria della Pieve, Piazza Grande, starring role in Roberto Benigni's film Life Is Beautiful (La vita è bella, 1997), and other old important stuff. The day was highlighted by a big lunch on CIEE’s tap, I enjoy some lamb. With horse, wild boar, rabbit, and lamb all in one weekend I’m submitting my application to P.E.T.A. People Eating Tasty Animals. The bus ride back to Ferrara was uneventful.

Crucifix by Cimabue:

I enjoyed Tuscany, the little towns were pretty, Siena is rich in history, and the wine is wonderful. The rolling countryside full of vineyards is very stereotypical Italian.

Sorry for the long lackluster post, most this is formy reference so when I’m still alive 100years so I can recall my adventures to my great-great-great grand children.

Ciao.