Siena
We returned to the Botteghe Donatello for dinner again last night – and were treated like long-lost cousins again. Tony, our usual waiter, told our new waiter (we sat inside this time) about gluten free pizza, and he brought us glasses of frozen limoncello at the end of our meal. It’s nice to be a “regular”!
The bus to Siena was quite an easy operation – walk to the bus station (next to the main train station), ask for “due, Siena, andata e returna”. 14E each, and we’re on our way!
The Tuscan countryside is beautiful – rolling hills and green fields, dotted with terracotta-topped cottages. Some vegie gardens, which makes me want to get back to my garden, which was lookingh only slightly less jungle-like after my efforts last week. (The winter rains really got the triffids/weeds going)
Siena is a very picturesque town, with lots of hills and winding, narrow roads between 5-plus storeyed buildings. It’s gorgeous though, just what you see when you think “Tuscany”.
After walking past a noisy musical-ish protest at the bus station, we walked to the Piazza del Campo, the centre of town, to have lunch. il Campo has been described as a huge “bathtub”, and that’s kind of apt. It makes a kind of a valley as it goes down towards the palazzo, and the high buildings on all sides look kind of bath-wall-y. Apparently they have wild horse-races there in summer, which sounds bizarre!
We found a restaurant with GF pasta (I was happy to find somewhere with risotto, but R was optimistic!) and they made me a fresh tomato, olive oil and buffalo mozzarella dish with gf spaghetti. Yum, but I’m STILL feeling the solid mass of pasta in my tum, three hours of walking hills later!
In terms of things to see, Siena has heaps. We visited the Duomo, which had amazing floor mosaics and illuminated texts. Then we wandered up hill and down dale to San Dominico, another cathedral with relics (ugh! dried up finger!) and more art. I had to restrain myself when a big tour group came in, all talking amongst themselves, ignoring the “silence” signs and the fact that there were people there praying. I’m not paricularly religious, but hello! Show a bit of respect!
By that stage my camera was running out of battery and time was kicking on, so we found our way back to the bus station to return to Firenze.
After laundry duty (our holidays are so mundane!) we returned to our favourite Vecchia Firenze for dinner. After pasta for lunch, I didn’t think I could do justice to the whole set menu again, so I just had the carbonara. Ohhhhh the carbonara. Creamy and soft, slightly eggy and cheesy. Mmmm…
The others managed their three courses somehow, and we had handshakes all round when we said we wouldn’t be seeing them again. Ahh it’s been lovely. Arrivederci, Firenze.
Two Weeks Away 