Our Grand Trip to Italy: Under the Tuscan Sun

Tuscany....

Day 2

We met Andrea at 9:30 for a drive to Siena. As we drove we talked about Italy, about Tuscany and about Siena and its 17 districts. As we drove south, the terrain changed from the forests of Gaiole to the rolling hills and farmlands of Siena. We learned as we drove that the difference in soils, from the forest floor, to the clay, to the ash of former volcanos, that this what contributes to the differences in Chianti wines. The San Genovese grapes are very adaptable and take on the characteristics of their surrounding area.

When we reached Siena, one of the highlights is that the floor which was created over a hundred years with Mosaics, is uncovered for only 6 weeks, and we are here at the right time. It is indescribable the intricacies of these mosaics. In addition, there is a great piece from Michelangelo who was interrupted before completing by a summons to the Pope to do the Sistine Chapel. So their is an obvious concave soffit where there should be one last carving.

Difficult shot to see, but the organ had pipes in four different sections of the cathedral. This one had the trumpet horns prominent on the left side of the pulpit.

In addition there was a library of musical charts from the 1400's. Amazing the graphics incorporated..

In Siena they also have a horse race twice a year in the middle of the square. There is horse to represent each of the 17 different districts. It is three laps and takes about 95 seconds to complete. It attracts thousands of people who pack into the middle of the square to watch the horses race around them. The horses are all allowed into the cathedral for a blessing before the race.

The views from Siena were spectacular as well.

We were hungry so Andrea suggested a quiet little town called Monteriggion which was a old town on the top of the hill completely contained with in the old roman walls.

Here we walked and saw the views and had a delicious Panini with a glass of Chianti.

After lunch we travelled to San Gimignano where there were at one time more than 70 towers that were built as symbols of wealth and as security for the view from the top of the hill covers the Elsa Valley. Their are only 14 remaining, but it was spectacular. In addition, Andrea and I conspired about becoming tour guides that specialized in Gellato shops. I had the most amazing gellato here. It was dark chocolate infused with Grand Marnier. OMG!!!!!