If it's Saturday, it must be Siena

Marian, our concierge (better known as a very young house mother), has been wonderful at keeping us on track. Each morning she meets with Tom, our Navigator, to provide information about best places to eat and how to get to the day's destination. She, early on, told us that Cortona and Siena were best seen on sunny days. So, we decided that we'd watch the weather projections and plan accordingly.

Saturday, another sunny day...we set off for Siena (about 1 1/2 hours away). Lovely drive, part of way on a real highway - Autostrada; great scenery. We were really looking forward to seeing the Grande Plaza where the Il Palio Horse Race is run and exploring the Duomo. We did very well until there was a wrong turn since our lead driver didn't believe the GPS and turned onto a pedestrian road in the middle of Sienna with the van following. Pedestrians all seemed to be heading uphill while we were driving DOWNHILL SLOWLY! And we passed several policemen - polizia - along the way fully expecting to be fined, if not arrested :) We finally made our way to a good parking area after enduring stares and strange loooks from lots of Italians. Joanie got a gold star for somehow maneuvering the Van through the narrow street and the people. We made our way to the Piaza Il Campo where the Il Palio is run, did a little shopping along the way (my poster of doors in Tuscany) and at the vendors in the plaza and headed to the Duomo - one of the loveliest we have visited anywhere. I'll insert link to pictures later so do check back.

No one can be in Italy long without the realization that food is everywhere and it is all good. Being with a group that likes to eat and drink (a lot), we've done more than our share of sampling. So...after leaves the Duomo, Joan stopped in at a Jewelry Store and asked for a lunch recommendation....Back downhill to Il Campo - did I say that all we do is walk up and down steep hills? - to find the restaurant in a small square off of Il Campo. What a find - Antica Trattoria Papei. We had great food, an amazing waiter - Amadeo - who has a friend in Charlotte, NC, and a thoroughly delightful lunch (including complimentary Vin Santo). We then made our way back to the car, window shopping along the way. One more wrong turn on the way to the highway - always blame the GPS - and we were home.

At the end of a busy, active day going out to dinner doesn't seem as wonderful as usual, so we decided to make due with whatever was left from our previous foray to the Penny Market. It turned out to be a wonderful repast of cheese/crackers/fruit from the Foresteria's orchard and some of my dried cherries (thanks to Ellen who bought them for me) AND, of course, lots of wine...we do love cheap Italian wine (and the good stuff, too).