Seeing Siena (For Reals This Time)

The next morning, even though I had slept for a total of 13 hours, I still didn't feel up to too much sight-seeing. I'd done a little skimming ahead of the sights RS mentions, but none of them were really calling my name. Yet, so many people loooove Siena...I was more interested to see what made the city tick.

So I caught a bus back into town and spent a significant amount of time wandering the street without looking at my map. (Besides, the only one I had so far was from the hostel, and it was pretty crappy.) Despite not really having my bearings, I got the distinct impression that the city was extremely....circular.

I finally picked a place for my morning routine (this time chosen for the name - Emmy, I couldn't resist! Jolly Café!!) but when I tried to hash out my schedule...I just didn't wanna. I settled on finding the main piazza, Il Campo, and figured I'd just settle in for some quality people watching - that seemed to be all I had in me. Lo and behold, despite being a piazza (which means square) it was...a circle - ooooooh! (I knew the streets were curvy in only one direction! See background of pic.) I managed to kill the entire morning and early afternoon just hanging out (well, that and with the internet). But soon I realized if I didn't have lunch, I'd be waiting until dinner.

So I scouted out a RS recommendation (and this is when I decided I hadn't had enough meat in my diet) and ordered the meat and potatoes - which were GREAT, but left me sluggish. It took a lot of self-motivating to get me to the Duomo. I figured I should at least see the church here, if nothing else. I sprang for the audio-guide and spent over an hour appreciating what it had to offer. I felt reasonably inspired and thought I'd see the Duomo Museum while I was at it. Unfortunately, included in the cost of the museum was the opportunity to see a panoramic view, but since it was nighttime now...kind of a waste. Looks like I'll do that tomorrow (or not at all).

By now the rain had again caught up with me (Darn rain! I just can't seem to outrun it...) and unfortunately, it was only 6:00 - too early to take cover at dinner. So since I had no where to go, I wandered until I found my previously-selected-thanks-to-Rick-Steves dinner locale and then continued on up the street. I found a bar where I was able to order a vanilla tea and wait out the weather. At 7:00 I headed back out into the now awful weather back to my restaurant spot. But when I arrived, it was filled with old men who all looked at me rather skeptically and the menu wasn't particularly tempting, so I thought, "This is stupid; I liked where I was, I should just eat there."

I felt kind of sheepish walking back in, but I swallowed my pride and sat down at the same table I had just vacated, smiled goofily at the waiter and ordered a pizza. Oh well. He can think I'm a stupid foreigner; I don't care (Besides - I basically am).

I eat my pizza and decide to call it a night. Unfortunately, a) I don't technically know where I am relative to the bus stop and b) it's currently a shower outside. I do my best to navigate in the rain, but it becomes clear that at some point I have made a wrong turn and I have NO idea where. I am extremely disoriented, very wet, and getting nervous that I'm going to miss the last bus - which would be BAAAD.

After an HOUR in the constant downpour, I eventually find my way back to where I started. Turns out the wrong turn I made was the very first one - in the complete wrong direction. Grrrr. I stomp my way back to the bus station (not even avoiding puddles or uncovered areas because I can't possibly get any wetter) and laugh out loud when I discover I have indeed missed the last bus. That's greaaaat. I check a second route that goes semi-close to the hostel and am thankful to see it is still running (not that I know WHERE it will drop me off relative to the hostel, but at this point, I don't care).

When the bus comes, I confirm with the driver that it's near the hostel and he says he will tell me which stop. Once we arrive I go in the direction I thought he pointed me in...but it becomes apparent to me that this is wrong. So I head back to the stop (still in the pouring rain, btw) and just when I can feel myself losing my self-control and reaching a point of frustration/hysteria, I see a sign for the hostel. Thank you Lord; I needed that. I remind myself that I'm thankful I have legs that work to walk me around in the rain and continue marching toward the hostel. I come around a corner - and there it is! Ahhhhhh-hahahhahah!

After a hot shower, I pretty much passed out. For a day of "nothing," I was no closer to knowing what makes Siena tick and completely out of gas.