Day 62 Salami from Siena

Florence is famous for many things. For hundreds of years Florence has been a centre for leather goods and there is no shortage of markets, hawkers, back street shops and exclusive boutiques. We spent a lazy morning checking out the streets and the shops. We discovered a huge bookshop more wonderful and uniquely Italian than Borders with thankfully a large ‘Inglese’ section.

After a late lunch we decided to head out on the train to Siena for the afternoon. We arrived and found a bus into the old town centre, which is dominated by narrow streets and beautiful old buildings. We meandered through the streets without a map constantly being drawn down the hill. At one point we caught a glimpse of warm sunlight at the end of a darkish alley, we walked towards it and as we stepped out of the alley we found ourselves in the most appealing piazza in all of Italy. Not magnificent because of the over the top buildings, although they were lovely… but because of the wonderful warm and welcoming atmosphere of the place. We noticed that people were sitting on the pavement looking up at the clock tower seemingly waiting for something to happen. We too sat down and waited and enjoyed an afternoon tea of water and biscuits from our bag. We then noticed that many people were lying back on the warm pavement still looking up at the tower. So of course we too lay back on the pavement soaking up the sun and enjoying a view that has not changed for centuries. Nothing actually eventuated and we realised that lying on the ancient sloped square was a reward in itself. Later we read from a guidebook that the slope, the square and the sun has drawn locals and visitors to do the same thing for over 500 years. It is hard to comprehend a very different atmosphere in this same square when once a year it also hosts an annual horse race called The Palio. This famous, bizarre and reckless horse race has only one rule; you can’t pull on the reins of other horses.

On our way back to the station we passed a deli with a hogs head mounted on the door. No words can describe the smells of cheese, meats, olives and the rest that make up this wonderful shop. We purchased salami and cheese thinking it would make a nice breakfast for the next day.

We caught the train about 7.30pm from Siena and arrived back at Florence about 10pm. On our way home we found a risterante filled with locals and at about 10.30pm we shared a tasty pasta carbonara and a pizza with cheese and proscieutto.

We feel like we are ‘going native’ under the Tuscan sun!