Sojourn a journey through life

Siena

On Sunday, Giulia picked us up from the villa for a day of driving and sight-seeing. We began the day by driving 1 1/2 hours to Siena. This town is built on seven hills with Piazza del Campo at its center. Siena is divided into 17 contrades (parishes) with each possessing its own symbol or coat of arms (these are posted via flags around the city as you walk so you always know which quarter, as they call it, you are currently in). It is a very proud thing to belong to your quarter; there are competitions (the greatest of these being the famous horse racing of Il Campo), special colours and costumes (akin to Scottish tartans, if you will) and unspoken rules such as not marrying someone from the "other" quarter.

The horse racing of Il Campo is also known as Sienese Palio and has been practiced since 1283. It happens twice yearly in July and August. Horse are chosen by drawing straws and then are blessed by the church. Unusual? The days leading up to and following the races see lots of betting, pageantry etc. They are notoriously rough (whipping one another as well as the horses, great tumbles, etc.). The races occur in Piazza del Campo, a shell-shaped piazza divided into 9 sections for the council of 9 responsible for governing the city. The uneven/unlevel surface of this piazza makes the racing even more challenging.

The Gothic town hall (Palazzo Pubblico) at the piazza's center was built in 1342 and remains the second highest medieval tower in Italy at 102 meters. We also took in the Gothic Duomo with its black and white marble pillars and inlaid marble floors.

Piazza del Campo

Palazzo Pubblico

Duomo, Gothic Style

Typical Gothic white and black marble pillars

Inlaid marble floors

duomo ceiling

After the full morning and afternoon touring Siena, we headed into the medieval hilltop town of Monteriggioni (30 minutes away). Tonight there is a special festival on with comedies, medieval costumes and townspeople showing the old-way of life (grinding flour, making paper and leather shoes, sharpening knives etc.). Stalls sold vino (wine), bread, cheese, and roasted pork. Music was very Celtic sounding. Here we met up with some of Giulia's friends as well as other Italians who took it upon themselves to buy us drinks. Our first try of Spumanti - the Italian version of Champagne. Very nice - if not actually more enjoyable. Wow, we haven't been up until 2am in a while - time for bed!