Ciao Siena

We arrived in Siena today after bidding a fond farewell to Vernazza in the Cinque Terre. It was five wonderful days despite the many mille steps and hills we climbed. On Thursday we took the train to Santa Margherita Ligure and walked the two miles along the waterfront to Portofino.



We spent a few hours mingling with the yachting crowd and admired their villas. But we actually found Santa Margherita to be more charming. However, no beaches can compare to the Jersey Shore.


On our way to Siena we stopped in Pisa for a quick look at the leaning tower. I can't say it was one of our favorite places.



So on to Siena where we are staying in a church run hotel with twin beds and shades of Chestnut Hill dorms. We are next to the Church of San Domenico which is the home of Saint Catherine of Siena head and thumb. Yes it is a bit creepy but they distributed many of her body parts as relics all over Italy but Siena got to keep her head and thumb.

There is some kind of festival going on and we have seen a race car rally and student made floats and all kinds of singing in the Il Campo. We met a Canadian couple on the train to Siena and we met them for dinner. We left the restaurant after 10:30 and got hopelessly lost trying to find our hotel. I thought that this hotel had a curfew and we were going to be locked out. It was reminiscent of the many nights flying back to Chestnut Hill from Villanova. Luckily the door was still open.

Location:Siena