Siena

Siena

March 25th, 2009 by alephnaught

Siena

This is our last day in Siena, and I haven’t mentioned the Palio yet. To understand the Palio, you need to know some things, most importantly that Siena is a city of neighborhoods, called Contrade. Families stay in their Contrade typically their whole lives, and children often marry other members of their Contrade; each Contrade […]

Siena

March 24th, 2009 by alephnaught

Siena

We got up a bit late because we were up a little late last night. We’re both a bit sore and tired (an Italian vacation done Americn-style will do that to you). Breakfast was definitely continental, and very European, featuring cheese and a couple varieties of sliced meat, along with cerial and bread. We wanted […]

Leave Florence, arrive in Siena

March 23rd, 2009 by alephnaught

Leave Florence, arrive in Siena

We got up early, showered, had breakfast, and went to the train station. We got the 10:40A train to Siena. We arrived and found our hotel, Hotel Duomo. Its inexpensive, the rooms are reasonable size with a reasonable, workable bathroom, but no internet access; it turns out wireless doesn’t work well through thick stone walls, […]

October 15th, 2003 by alephnaught

From Siena to Bologna

We woke slowly today. We got breakfast and got out – we decided to go to the Pinacoteca de Siena, the painting gallery in Siena. No pictures and no catalog, so there's not much for me to do but say that the art is very interesting. Sienese art is very gothic. We drove to Bologna […]

October 13th, 2003 by alephnaught

Siena

We woke at 7A and ate breakfast and showered and planned our day. Aviva’s feet and legs hurt, and my lower back has started hurting, so we went slowly today. We started at the Duomo. This time we got to go inside, and we got lucky – the floors are decorated with inlaid patterns which […]

October 12th, 2003 by alephnaught

Siena

We woke at 7A. Breakfast was good – this hotel’s buffet includes eggs and Italian bacon, which is saltier and seasoned with pepper. I finished A History of Sparta, 950-192 B.C. this morning while Aviva showered; I’ve started Angels & Demons by Dan Brown. Along the walk from the hotel we found a sculpture of […]

October 11th, 2003 by alephnaught

From Arrezo to Siena

We awoke at 6A (I had control of the alarm clock today). We got breakfast and went out to see Arezzo. The hotel provided a small ma We walked down to the Duomo – there’s a Piero della Francesca fresco of the Madonna on the side wall. The museum was closed (the woman working the […]