Siena (Rest Day)

Willie Nelson asked, "Ain't it funny how time slips away?"

Yeah, and I guess the same can be said of memories.

There are a couple of things I remember from our last visit to Siena in 2009: the hellish drive around and around the city, trying to find our hotel, and the discovery that I don’t hate all olives after trying Bella di Cerignola olives at happy hour.

But other than that, I have almost no recollection of the five days we spent here. I get the odd flash of familiarity, but, mostly, Im seeing things for the first time. Scary!

On the other hand, this is an astonishingly beautiful city to rediscover. The San Domenico Basilica, an imposing brick structure that overlooks the valley between the two halves of the city. The Duomo di Siena, a cathedral built with alternating bands of white and greenish- black marble, accompanied by a distinctive striped bell tower. The Piazza del Campo, regarded as one of Europe's greatest medieval squares, home to another bell tower, and two annual horse races around the perimeter of the square!

I doubt I'll return here again seventeen years from now, but if I do, I'm sure I'll enjoy my visit just as much as the two previous ones....neither of which will I remember.Read more