Homeward Bound

Nothing like a Simon and Garfunkle song to get in the right mood for the journey home.
Our trip home was a two step process (with lots of little steps in between). 
Step one was a dizzying combination of buses, shuttles, a plane and a couple trains to get us from Siena back to Paris. We started with a bus ride from Siena to Florence.  The bus was on time and quite comfortable.  We got off the bus and walked across the street to the train station where we scoped out the shuttle to the airport, stashed our big bags at "left luggage", and took  3 hour walking tour of Florence.  We walked around the Duomo and the checked out a little museum in the Orsanmichele cathedral (they are ubiquitous in Italy!).  It's free and is only open on Mondays. We got a snack at a great lunch spot,  walked past Ponte Vecchio, rubbed the nose of the brass pig "Il Porcellino" in the Mercato Nuovo for luck and a guarantee to visit Florence again.  Feeling the need to stretch our legs before continuing our marathon travel day, we randomly explored the city until it was time to head back to the train station.  We picked up our luggage, caught the shuttle to the airport,  and hopped on our flight to Paris Orly airport.  At Orly, we took 2 trains that delivered us to Charles de Gaulle airport very easily where we caught the free shuttle to our hotel.  We nearly missed the shuttle but thanks to a helpful driver who pointed us in the right direction, everything worked out great. We checked into our room, ordered ceasar salads and watched a hilarious British show that used the daily news to have a lively and humorous discussion.  Total elapsed time from boarding the bus in Siena to checking into our room: about 14 hours.
One night at the Marriott near Charles de Gaulle airport and we were ready for step two.
The final leg was a more typical travel day consisting of a shuttle bus to CDG, a 7 hour flight to Boston, and then a 5 hour flight from Boston to Seattle.  Total elapsed time for step 2 of the homeward journey: about 17 hours. Seattle here we come!

Two more days in Siena

As we mentioned in the previous post, Siena is a medieval town that is remarkably well preserved.  The streets in the original city are narrow and wind almost randomly within the city walls. Most of the buildings are 3 to 5 stories tall which accentuates the narrow maze effect. We visited two of the main architectural attractions: Torre del Mangia, the tower in the main square Piazza del Campo, and the Duomo Di Santa Maria Assunta.

The tower is the 3rd tallest secular tower in Italy, rising almost 90 meters above the square and dates back to the 1300's. The crazy square spiral staircase that takes you to the top of the tower is so narrow they won't even let you bring a camera case with you. Luckily, there are free lockers where we stashed our backpack before we tackled the stairs. Near the top we stepped out on to a platform where  two of the three bells of the tower reside.  Appreciating and distracted by photographing the view, we neglected to mind the time and were startled when the bell above us clanged.  Fortunately, it was only once for the half hour.  You would not want to plan your visit to the top at noon! The steps became even steeper, more like a ladder, as we wound our way to the very top. The view of Siena is amazing as you look across the red tile roofs of the old city to the Tuscan countryside in the distance.  They only allow 25 people into the tower at once and ask that you limit your stay to15 minutes. After quickly determining there were no bad views, we obtained a series of postcard worthy photos. The 10 year old girl who had been with her family at the top skipped along ahead of us with ease as we inched our way back down the tiny stairs.

Next we toured the duomo which actually consists of 3 different areas. The first is the main cathedral, the second is the baptistry behind the cathedral, and the third is a crypt beneath the baptistry.  The main cathedral is constructed primarily from black and white marble layered together to create a striped effect throughout. As we stood in the que for our entry, we overheard the guide telling another visitor this was a very special time to view the cathedral as the entire floor was visible. The visual spectacle of the sanctuary is not limited to the walls and ceiling. The floor is divided into 56 sections, each composed of multiple shades of inlaid marble illustrating stories of both secular and religious importance (some of the most valuable are covered for all but two months of the year).  The overall effect is very striking if not a bit overwhelming. The baptistry is a relatively small area however the ornate baptismal font is only one of its artistic wonders. The walls and ceiling are all decorated with the ornate frescoes we had come to expect in the Italian Renaissance cathedral, designed by such renowned artists as Ghiberti and Donatello.  The crypt was a bit of a respite from the main sanctuary. It was only unearthed in 1999 and the walls are adorned with murals using a technique called "dry painting" which looks similar to chalk. The colors are amazingly vibrant, especially considering they date from the 1200's, and contrast well against the plain brick of the ceiling. Unfortunately,  no photos were allowed in this area of the basilica.
As we concluded our visit to The Duomo,  we could not help but imagine the competition between the artists who created the incredible cathedrals we had toured. The complete saturation of the visual sense as well as the massive scale of the architectural design employed by the artists was truly impressive.

The rest of our time in Siena was taken up with relaxing walks through the city investigating several fountains. Not the ornate, statue adorned centerpieces we had viewed in Rome, these were quiet pools formed by springs that appeared to have been used in a more utilitarian fashion.  We browsed the many small shops that line the streets and took some time to relax as the end of our trip drew near. We ate at wonderful restaurants both nights we were there, but it was the second night that really stood out. We made a reservation (with the help of Google translator) via the Italian only website and arrived at Tre Cristi at the incredibly early hour of 7:30.  Sherrie ordered the "tasting menu" which consisted of 3 courses picked by the chef each evening.  For variety, I ordered one appetizer and one main course so we could try out a variety of items. In addition to the meals we ordered,  the restaurant provided a complimentary aperitif (prosecco) and appetizer.The courses, which were mainly seafood based, were all cooked and presented perfectly.  The service was stellar and we thoroughly enjoyed our  fine dining experience at this historic restaurant (established in 1830!).

Sunrise in Rome and sunset in Siena

It was an early morning as we headed out the door to see some of the Vatican before the crowds arrived.  We high tailed it to Saint Peter's and were in a short line by 8:15. As we walked in we noticed nobody seemed to be waiting to go to the top of the Basilica so 10 Euros later we were getting our morning stair workout. At the top of the wall (before the dome starts) there is a balcony that goes about half way around and is a great excuse to stop for a break and our first view of the interior of the basilica. From there up, the stairway narrows and the walls begin to curve as you actually ascend inside an arched gap between the outside roof of the dome and the inner dome that  you can see from the basilica floor. Luckily, the walls are smooth tile so you can slide your hand on the downhill side and avoid losing your balance as you lean more acutely near the top.  The view frome the top is quite amazing as you look across Vatican City, Rome and beyond.  After getting our fill of vista views, we wound our way back down to the basilica floor for the more traditional visual experience.
You might think it goes without saying that the interior of Saint Peter's Basilica is amazing,  but it must be said anyway.  I am not Catholic,  but the combination of being present in the place that is the center of one of world's largest religions as well as the supposed burial ground of Saint Peter is profound.  Of course, the architecture and artistry is beyond description and it doesn't take long before it all becomes rather surreal.
We appreciated our efforts to arrive at the basilica early even more when we walked out to see the lines of visitors creeping across the square. Having worked up an appetite viewing all that ornate artistry, we wandered back to the flat for a very nice breakfast from Elisabetta.  In addition to fun conversation,  we had eggs,  toast, pastries, and juice.
With breakfast taken care of,  we quickly packed up and started our journey to Siena. As we stepped out on to the street, Sherrie noted the art supply shop across the way was open snd she wanted some watercolor paper. The other shop we noted was "aperto" was the gelateria just outside our front door.  Between our early starts and late evenings, this was the first time we had noticed it open. It took a little arm twisting but Sherrie was able to coerce Mike into one last gelato before leaving Rome. We needed the strength to get us to the station and on to the next leg of our journey. Once we finished our treat we walked to the train station and checked for our train. It wasn't on the board but as we were early,  we waited a while to see if it would show up. When our train number never appeared,  we went searching for the information booth. We got some help from a local girl who makes money assisting lost tourists and got to the correct track.  After giving the girl a small tip for her help, we were still perplexed by the lack of the correct train number.  At the landing was a different train that was also going to the correct town (Grosetto) where we would hop the train to Siena.  After some debate we jumped on the train just before it left and hoped for the the best.  As it turned out,  that was a great decision because we got to Grosetto, stepped off the train,  looked around for about 15 seconds, and stepped on to the train to Siena.  We figure we set a record for unhurried train connections as it was probably less than 2 minutes between exiting one train and sitting on the next train as it started to move.  About an hour later we arrived in Siena, thanking St Peter and any other gods of travel kharma for a smooth journey. Getting from the train station to our place was very interesting.  First, you walk across the parking lot and enter a shopping mall.....yes, a shopping mall. Then you ascend out of the mall and up a hill via a long set of interior escalators (and the only sloped moving sidewalk I have ever seen).  After all that we emerged at the top of the hill looking at street signs. After walking up and down the same block a couple of time and staring at our maps for a while, we were saved by a local gentleman who took us in the right direction.  As it turns out, much of Siena proper is inside a wall built during medieval times. You enter the old city through one a several very large gates called a "porta". We had seen the gate but had not considered going through as it looked like the entrance to a cathedral or park.  Once inside it was a short walk to our place which is down a small side alley right next to an old church. As we came up to the gate, it buzzed open rather magically and we were officially welcomed to our new home for the next three nights.

Once we got situated in our room we took off to explore and find some dinner. Sherrie had a couple of recommendations from the guide book and we wound our way through the narrow streets until we found one of them. It wasn't open yet (despite what was otherwise posted on their door) so we did a little "window shopping" to kill some time. An hour and about 100 Euros later we were back and being shown to our table. The food was exceptional, our waitress very friendly and witnessing the locals seated near us eat and drink their way through their meal, created a most pleasant dining experience.  After dinner we took a leisurely walk back to our room, snapping photos of picturesque roads and alleyways that were almost too perfect to be real.

A very full day in Rome.

Only having one FULL day in Rome, we set an ambitious cultural agenda. The Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine hill in the AM and the Vatican in the afternoon. Gelato sampling at a minimum of two recommended gelaterii and pizza "al taglia" (by the slice) were on the separate and at least equally important "food adgenda".
We got up early and headed to the Forum. A funny thing happened on the way as we met our host who was rushing back to the flat to make us breakfast.  We let her know we were fine and wanted a head start on our day. The line was very short at the Forum as we picked up a combination pass that was a big help later at the Colosseum.  The Forum and Palatine hill are a group of temples, arches, columns, churches and ruins that together make up a very large site.  We didn't investigate Palatine hill very much and spent the majority of our time wandering the maze of sites in the Forum.  The Arch of Titus, Temple of Saturn, and Temple of the Vestal Virgins are particularly impressive.
After hitting "Forum overload", we headed over to the Colosseum. It was at this point that our passes were handy as we bypassed the very long line and pretty much walked right in. The place was a bit crowded but not too bad and we managed to take our time exploring the different levels and listening to our audio guide to get a good overview of the history. The most amazing tidbit I learned was that originally they used to fill the arena with water and stage mock sea battles. That must have been quite a spectacle.
Now it was time to shore up our strength by hitting one of the recommend lunch spots Sherrie had researched the night before. (Sherrie is now narrating, given that having seen the antiquities on her last trip, her main goal was exploring the cuisine of Rome!) Pizza was obtained at Antico Forno Roscioli, a well known bakery enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. Imagine Bakery Nouveau on steroids with a louder more raucous vibe and five foot long pizzas they slice to order.Mike ordered his pizza while I went off script, distracted by the artichoke quiche and incredible pastry selection. With essentially no Italian, I utilized my point and order method to purchase my quiche and a couple of pastries for "the road".  Having missed breakfast we were not taking any chances. Mike nabbed a seat and I fumbled with the euros to pay. He made an excellent selection, counter seats with a view of the action as the crazy long pizzas entered and exited the ovens. We really appreciated the heat of the ovens and imagined the health department in the US cringing as we watched the pizza masters spreading the tomato sauce with their fingers. Given the number of satisfied customers we saw filing through, their technique must not cause many problems. The choreography of the two man assembly line was impressive. I could not resist snapping a couple quick pics of them.  It wasn't completely clear what the guys thought as they unofficially modeled while maintaining their nonstop production at the pizza ovens, but they smiled as they became part of the permanent record of our vacation.
We were pretty full from our lunch but you're never too full for gelato, right? We were a obliged to stop at Grom, one of Italy's best known slow food gelateria to try their unique seasonal flavors. Luckily, you nearly always split a scoop between two flavors so we got one edgy selection, persimmon, and one sure thing, stracciatella (chocolate chip).  We enjoyed both as we wound our way through the stalls of the market on Campo de'Fiori where the multicolored produce, flowers and housewares begged to be photographed.
(We now return to Mike as narrator.)
Re-energized with pizza and zuccherro (sugar),  we pulled out the map and wound our way to the Vatican.  Our original intent was to focus on Saint Peter's Basilica.  Unfortunately,  the security line was huge and we decided we would come back the following morning before leaving Rome when it would hopefully be less crowded.  We did manage to walk around the front of the basilica and took some nice shots of the sights in Saint Peter's Square which is very grand on its own.  I have to admit it was a bit surreal looking up at the front of the basilica where the Pope gives his weekly address.
By this time our energy levels were starting to lag a bit so we proceeded to make our way back home. Along the way we stopped for a bite at a bit of tourist trap restaurant in front of the Pantheon. Sherrie, who prefers to avoid these sorts of places, was a good sport as Mike enjoyed a beer and the ambient melodies of an accordian player in the square.
(Back to Sherrie for another food entry) The benefit of only ordering a salad was we saved room for our second gelato stop of the day. It may seem indulgent to have the sweet treat twice in one day but when you only have THAT DAY in Rome, a little excess can be tolerated. Plus, we walked all around the city, must have burned some calories! In an only slightly suspect coincidence, our return route from the Vatican brought us through the lovely Piazza Novona which is just around the corner (there are plenty of corners in Rome) from Piazza della Maddalena home to gelateria San Crispino.  Another proprietor of the slow food inspired flavors. We chose the cinnamon-ginger and another flavor we thought would be a chocolate base but ended up being more like the stracciatella we had earlier. Each flavor rests in its own covered container so we did not realize our assumption that the label which said cioccolato referred not to the dessert's main base but to the bits contained within it, until it was in our dish. We managed to suffer through our inadvertent selection and the cup was empty before we reached the opposite side of the piazza on our way to one more sight to top off our day.  After all the well known sites earlier, we decided to check out a less celebrated cathedral which is known for its attempted grandeur. If it was built in any other city than Rome, the Chiesa di Sant'Ignazio di Loyola would be the talk of the town. Here though its claim to fame is not the gilded alters or marble pillars but the optical illusion of Andrea Pozzo's trompe l'oeil ceiling fresco which embellishes the ceiling creating a central dome where the parishioners would be sitting and most likely to gaze up during worship. Walking further into the church you can easily appreciate the deception.
Satisfied that we had achieved our goals of overindulging in food and culture (when in Rome...) we headed back to our pension and a well deserved rest.

Rome, here we come!

Our travel itinerary to Rome had a number of steps, any one of which could have been a challenge,  but the entire day went very smoothly.  Step one was to hit the post office right as it opened (that's a whole other story regarding some expensive French bandage scissors.) then to get to the airport rental car drop off. The route to the rental car lot was well signed and we made it there by 9:30 am. Then it was a short walk to the airport terminal and an quick investigation to determine our gate. At this point we were a couple of hours early, so we found a seat and Sherrie worked on her knitting while I read a book.
The flight was on time and by 3pm we were descending into Rome. Sherrie went to buy our future train tickets to Siena while I purchased train tickets into the city. We had researched the route, so I was surprised when the man at the counter proceeded to talk me out of tickets for the Leonardo Express train and, for only one more Euro, purchase tickets for a shuttle bus. Several of us stood around for 15 minutes until the guy decided he didn't have enough fares to make the shuttle profitable.  At that point he gave us the train tickets I asked for originally, 2 Euros in change,  and we were back on our planned route. The train ride into the city was quick and before I knew it, Sherrie and I were making our way through the streets of Rome.  Sherrie did a great job of navigating the complex streets and in about 45 minutes we were at our new home away from home for the next two nights. 
Our host, Elisabetta,  met us at the door and showed us to our room. She was very friendly and pointed us to several places to see nearby.  Armed with her advice, a guide book, and a map, we headed out to find dinner.  We stopped at a very nice place that was almost empty and had a great dinner while listening to fun blues music and watching people walk their dogs for the evening.
With dinner concluded,  we walked about a block to the Pantheon which was lit up for the evening and still open. This is truly an incredible building. Built over 2000 years ago,  in addition to it's massive marble columns, it had the largest dome in the world for over 1500 years and is still the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. At the top of the dome is an opening over 25 feet in diameter (the oculus) and rain that falls through drains automatically through a system of hidden fenestrations in the slightly sloping marble floor. Our evening stroll concluded with an impromptu stop at the Trevi Fountain where we took photos and tossed coins over our shoulders to ensure a return visit to this incredible city at some point in the future. (Hey, it worked for Sherrie last time!)

The Pantheon

The Trevi Fountain