Sienna and a (bit of) sun

Images: The University of Pittsburg Singers!; SM and PJ Lying in the sun: Duomo


Sienna!
Guest blog by Sweet Melissa.
With Florence under our belt, and the sun trying valiantly to break through the non-stop rain, we headed off to beautiful Sienna. Though we had success with the Italian train system we still decided to go for a nice drive to the city. We parked the bus and entered next to the severe looking church San Domenica. It may have been austere from the outside, but we soon detected the sweet sound of a male choir. Drawing nearer, we were able to make out the tune – It was the University of Pittsburg singers, and the song? Happy Together by the Turtles! They performed it acapella and beautifully, so Dad rewarded them with a “Go Steelers!” that cut through the applause of the gathering to much laughter and reciprocal applause from the singers.
Upon entering the walled city we headed straight for the Piazza Del Campo . It was as if the heavens decided to smile for us. In a week filled with rain, this day had begun like the rest, but for a brief half hour in the square we were able to join the locals and the other travelers in lying in
the square to soak up the sun.
The Piazza Del Campo is where the bi-annual "Il Palio" horse race takes place. The outer Piazza is filled with dirt, and horseback riders from 10 of the 17 districts race to win the il Palio. The only rule is that jockeys are not allowed to grab another rider's reins. Anything else goes. Participants have been known to kidnap opponents the night before, drug them the morning of the race, or, if an opponent tries to pass you, “Whip him with a leather belt made from the skin of a bull's penis, which leaves the deepest welts and the longest lasting scars.”, according to one race official.
With all of the rain, I just hadn't been in the mood for ice cream, but maybe it was the brief sunshine, or maybe it was my sense of duty to report SMOG, but I finally had the chance to taste my second report. A lovely Natucchio (this is as close as I could remember the name) ice cream that tasted almost exactly like Nutella. Again a 9! I will admit that it is difficult to say whether or not this particular gelato is in direct comparison with the first as it was a completely different flavour, but I maintain that my scale is yet to be defined and is still in its early stages of scientific development.
The ice cream was great...the service not so much. While normally that may have bothered us, it did give Dad a chance to figure out a few swear words in Italian -”Non essere una stronzo!”
After leaving the square we took our time heading up and down the alleys and really felt like we were seeing a small piece of San Gimignano. Each of us found small gifts and trinkets to bring home and enjoyed strolling leisurely through the quaint shops.
We couldn't leave Sienna without seeing their very own Duomo. After having just been to Florence, we weren't sure we would be impressed. Though not as large and ornate, the Duomo was in its own right spectacular. The attention to detail is definitely a sight to see.
Last but not least we visited St. Katerina's church (we remember it more fondly as the German figure skater Katerina Witt's church as a way to remember our meeting place in case one of us got lost). This church was quite different from those we had already seen. The art was this fragmented, almost moder art like, art work that as Nana said, “Looks like someone painted after a bad night out on the town”. That aside, Dad lit another candle for Pal. We had decided that, her feelings about religion aside, it couldn't hurt.
All in all, I think we all left feeling like Sienna seemed to be the best of both Florence and SanGimagnano. If you could only go to one of the three, I think we might say Sienna.