BAC Green Roads Of Tuscany page 11

May 17 - San Rocco a Pilli and Siena Non-Cycling

Piazza del Campo (il Campo)

I was afraid that the mentally challenged young adults in our hotel would keep me awake last night. So I put in my double ear plugs, set my alarm for 7:00 and went to sleep. I forgot that I couldn’t hear my alarm when using ear plugs so I got up late, but not too late to miss a decent breakfast buffet. A bus had left with the other guests and we had the breakfast room to ourselves.

Today was an official off-the-bike day. At 9:30 we walked a short distance from our hotel and caught the local bus to go to Siena. We got off at the end of the line at Piazza Gramsci and walked over to the Basilica of San Domenico where we met our guide, Stella. We went into the church where Stella pointed out some things of religious significance as well as some secular things like the flags of all of Siena’s contrade or city wards which were hanging on the walls.

Leaving the church, Stella led us downhill pausing at special spots such as old palaces, churches. etc. Then it was onto Piazza del Campo (il Campo) where we stood in front of the Fonte Gaia and talked about the history of the piazza, its surrounding buildings and the Palio di Siena horse race between the contrade.

Contrade Meeting Room

Next we walked into Stella’s Contrade della Torre (whose symbol is the elephant) area and its museum. I have been to Siena several times, but this is the first time I have seen anything about the local culture. It was fun seeing the clothes that they wear during celebrations, the paintings that they have made after winning each horse race and the administrative room where they hold contrade meetings.

The Duomo

After our museum visit we walked up to the Duomo, first passing through the local Sunday flea market. Stella showed us several lunch possibilities along the way. We reached the Duomo after noon. The sun was high and the temperature was very warm. Being Sunday, the Duomo was not open yet. So we stood in the shade in front of its ornate facade ooing and aaing.

Stella said goodbye and we were suddenly on our own. I walked back the way we came and had a panino made for me in a specialty shop. It was salami and cheese with pesto sauce on fresh Italian bread. I sat next to the Fonte Gaia and ate most of it saving the rest for an afternoon snack.

I wandered around for a while and optimistically tried to go into the Duomo at its 1:30 opening. The line was not moving, so I made the hike back to the bus stop and caught the 2:30 bus back to Hotel Castello in San Rocco a Pilli.

At 5:30 we had a cooking demonstration in the hotel’s kitchen. We watched the chef make bolognese sauce, pana cotta and a balsamic vinegar sauce for the pana cotta. Happy Hour was after that. Then dinner was at 7:30. I had a soup made out of white beans with carrots, garlic, celery, etc. I also had pasta with bolognaise sauce. All of us had pana cotta. I really enjoyed my dinner conversation with Neal, Alan and Stacie and Claudia and Barry.

Daily Statistics

Miles	Max Speed	Average Speed	Moving Time	Total Ascent	Weather
0	0	0	0	0 Feet	Sunny, 60’s to 90’s.