Tuscan Exploration

Yesterday we traveled to Siena, only about 50 km from the villa.  The town retains its medieval streets, with beautiful beige coloring throughout. 

The Piazza del Campo was planned by the city fathers in 1293.  It remains a vibrant spot, surrounded by restaurants and shops.  We spent much of the afternoon in a café here, people watching, eating fine food, drinking wine, and chatting with our neighbors, two very nice Belgian women about our age.  In Italia, you just slow down and live La Dolce Vita.  It's wonderful. The only non-beige building in this pic is the Duomo in the background.

These are gargoyles at the Duomo in Siena.  I believe there is one bird that is not a gargoyle...can you find him?

The Duomo features incredible stonework, amazingly detailed.  Blow up this pic for the full effect.

The Via di Citta runs between the Duomo and the piazza.  There are many restaurants and stores.  In addition to the tourists, Siena is a college town and caters to university students.  The hills around the city have been a favorite haunt for wild boars since Etruscan times.  Hunted for at least 2500 years, the boars abide.  Some have even acquired a high level of sophistication.

We had a few sprinkles yesterday, but no serious rain.  However, Ma Nature tried.  Thunder rumbled.  As I was having hora felice at the villa, the clouds put on a show.  Tuscany is a fabulous spot for cloud viewing, at least when a cutoff low persists over the area.

Can you believe the light? 

This morning Cindy and I hiked down to the village of San Leolino.  It's a hamlet a block long perched on a ridge below our villa.  The local church is ancient...the village is tiny but has been in existence for at least a thousand years.

Recent rains have brought forth many flowers, adding to the colors and shades of the forest floor.  As in Northern California, oaks predominate.

Remnants of the castle walls at Torre Di Galatrona.  This tower is on the hilltop next to ours.  It was a defensive position as early as the tenth century, and turbulent times continued in the region for hundreds of years as Florence, Siena, and Arezzo fought over the land.  Eventually the castle, one of two fortified towers, and the homes in the area disappeared except for these stones.  The other tower has been refurbished and remains, though the road to it is, uh, rustic at best.  Without my trusty Benz van I would not have made it up here.

The bounty of Tuscany...vineyards, olive groves, gorgeous scenery, and peace.

Torre di Galatrona.