'Sera, Siena

You spend many hours and days learning to speak that perfect dialect of Italian, thinking the Venetians or the Torinados are going to say "well, that Canadian surely speaks wonderful Italiano, doesn't he"? "Buongiorno", I say, even drawing out that second-last syllable like they do in the North of Italy; "Buon Giooooorrno", "Buonasera" pronouned "buonosaaaayyyy-rah". "Molto bene, grazie"...adding the very Canadian ending to that thank-you - "Gratt-see-eh". But they have you cold...in real usage, it's not buonosera or buongiorno, just "'Sera", and "'Giorno". Throw out that university Italian textbook, discard the Rosetta stone. Just sit in the Piazza del Campo in Siena and absorb the dialect.

The train from Milano to Siena just flew along averaging nearly 300km/hour. The countryside as we entered the Chianti district began to look more like the images of Tuscany that they put in the promotions; beautiful agricultural pastoral scenes, rolling mountain foothills,  interspersed with vinyards, and deep forest groves.  Closer to Venezia, Torino and Milano there is no wasted land...all land is working to support either agriculture, industry or housing there. And closer to Firenze (Florence) and Siena, we start going straight though mountains, long dark passages with only occasional flashes of light as we pass out of one mountain tunnel and into another.

The train station at Siena is in a mall...and you should see the escalator. The first 4-5 sections are moving sidewalk with maybe a 10-12 degree climb; then it kicks up a bit with about 3-4 standard (although somewhat long)  escalator sections at maybe 15-20 degrees; then it gets serious with another 3-4 long sections climbing at well over 30 degrees. I don't think I have ever had my ears pop from an escalator ride, but they sure did this morning.

Like Rome, the city is built on seven hills...or so the brochures say, the lying bastards. Without visiting any section  twice we must have climbed at least eleven, although somehow we only went down  four. The city is straight from those old movies about the great centurion battles; a gated walled city, built in concentric circles that can each be defended until retreat can be made to the next great wall and gate. Narrow streets (characterized by walkways between buildings high overhead) gradually lead to three most amazing sites: The Piazza del Campo (city square and the very heart of Siena, and probably the busiest and most touristy); the cathedral and Duomo that stands high above the great city; and the Fortezza Medecia at Piazza della Liberta, a medieval fortress with impressive panoramic views of the city and the Tuscan countryside outside the walls (see picture).

Pizza in the Campo was nearly as delicious as that first one we had in Treviso. Later in the evening we went to Papei ristorante where we were fortunate to arrive early enough to find una tavola perdue, before they cut off entrance to only reservations. My first ever taste of cinghiale (wild boar) with Papardella (very wide ribbons of fresh pasta) was  a great treat and Elisabetta can vouch for the delicious flavours of ravioli al funghi. A final walk through del Campo watching a full moon rise behind the Palazzo Publico,  and a little gelato for la dolce and we were ready to call it a day and head back to our hotel and for me to enjoy a tremendous Chianti while I write this blog (six Euro and I am guessing you'd be lucky to get this quality of vino rosso for less than $25 at home). I think, I am homesick. No wait, I just need another sip of this fine chianti...aaaahhh, that's better, I'm ok now. Sera, Siena. We'll see more of you, a domani.