day 35 - Siena

Of all the larger cities we have visited this trip, Siena is my favourite. Florence was a close second but their is something about Siena that is very special. First it is not loaded up with mega tourists. Second it still has a lot of nice shops to visit and explore. Third it is a walled city and most of the old city still survives and also is interesting to explore. Fourth, you feel safe ... plenty of police presence which I'm sure keeps the gypsies away. The centre of the city features a huge Piazza with an 11'th century tower you can climb. 500 steps to the top and you come down the same steps so there is a lot of passing in the aisles and with a significant Stella muscle around my mid waist this proved to be a challenge. Finally figured out that if I turned and faced into a corner my belly would then not protrude and people could get by. And yet another fabulous place to take photos as you have already seen. I love the ones with the shadows in the Piazza and of course the one with my arms up Rocky style celebrating reaching the top of the tower. Note the warning sign on the telling tourists with heart troubles, asthma, pregnant women etc to Not climb to the top ... but nothing about being fat ... so off I went and did reach the summit. Out of breath but to the top I went. I haven't processed the pictures yet but we found a tiny little restaurant behind the big Duomo and five of us stopped for lunch. Two cool ladies served us a platter of cold meats and a platter of plates with green figs that were like jam they were so sweet. Now if you ever get to Italy I highly recommend getting some sweet figs and wrapping them with local prosciutto. The combination of sweet and salt is to die for. The picture at the end of me with the two ladies. Delightful. We are heading to diner tonight into Panzano where we found a little pizza restaurant owned by a couple who we have asked to cook us a local meal. You can do this in Tuscany. We asked them to prepare us a meal as if we were their best friends coming for dinner. Their choice of food not ours. And these always turn out great .... till much later ... maybe even tomorrow morning if or I should say depending on the amount of wine I drink. Read the sign above Lucy's head in the first picture!! Ciao