Siena - A 'Rest' Day

No need to pack before 8am. Bliss.

Breakfast was crowded, even though we were late, and one wonders why: it was very average. Locals (and there were mainly Italians about) would have been shocked at the limited cake selection, unless they came early and ate the lot, but the positive was nice bread. Until Siena, many places had only salt-free, taste-free bread, even when it was wholemeal. The coffee machine produced average lattes quickly, but the espressos were good... and then I saw there was actually a barista. First world problems and solutions.

Alistair had said that Rose's favourite saints included St Catherine of Siena. She was new to us, but we love a treasure hunt in a foreign city, and planned our morning around her. I am glad we did. First was her basilica (Basilica Caterina Dominico) (amazing), then the area around her home and the home (or the site), which is now a series of shrines or chapels, then the pathways near the cathedral where she (aged 6) had her first vision, and also lived. She was the second youngest of 25 (!) children, so housing might have been flexible.

Lunch was an Italian baguette sitting on the city's central plaza, where they have the mad horse-race twice a year, before seeing the church near the city gate we leave by tomorrow. It was flying red and yellow flags, and the streets had red and yellow decorations because they are the district's colours, and the district won the last race (each race has 10 horses, each in the colours of and representing one of Siena's 17 districts). Back to the hotel as some rain came, via more small and large churches.

In the evening we wandered around the area near St Catherine's basilica, which was the other side of town, and had dinner in a tiny Osteria called Il Grattacielo. A French lady there told us it was in all the guidebooks, but it was her and us. No pasta or pizza this time: Minestrone and Pork sausages (you work out who had what) plus house wine and orange cake for dessert. It was good. Hotel by 8:30.

16,728 steps, 12.9km and 27 floors. A rest day

Tomorrow we walk to Buonconvento. It is a long but only moderate day: 32 km, but downhill to start with, then generally flat. The books and blogs say there is not much walking on roads. The forecast is for sunshine! Back in boots, but they are dry, and clean: I brushed them down so we could wear them to breakfast without leaving our own mud trail.Read more