Priests & monks enjoying a little gelato
Yes, I know I'm behind....but since mom and aunt clare left me this morning, I'm sure that I won't have as much of interest to report, so I'll at least have a few days to catch up.
Tuesday afternoon, Aunt Clare and I went to Sienna (mom wasn't feeling well). We took the bus, which was very easy to figure out...it's about an hour by bus from Florence. Unknown to us, we were on a "training run". There was a new guy driving the bus, and his trainer was sitting behind him. What an experience! You could tell that the new driver was very nervous...it seemed that this was perhaps his first time behind the wheel of the bus. The trainer kept telling him to honk his horn at the other cars - I suppose just to alert them that he was there, because everyone drives ALL OVER THE ROAD here. It was my first time on the autostrada, and it was a bit terrifying to be careening down the highway in this very large vehicle when I had no confidence in the driver!
Tuesday afternoon, Aunt Clare and I went to Sienna (mom wasn't feeling well). We took the bus, which was very easy to figure out...it's about an hour by bus from Florence. Unknown to us, we were on a "training run". There was a new guy driving the bus, and his trainer was sitting behind him. What an experience! You could tell that the new driver was very nervous...it seemed that this was perhaps his first time behind the wheel of the bus. The trainer kept telling him to honk his horn at the other cars - I suppose just to alert them that he was there, because everyone drives ALL OVER THE ROAD here. It was my first time on the autostrada, and it was a bit terrifying to be careening down the highway in this very large vehicle when I had no confidence in the driver!
We arrived in Sienna without incident, however. Tuesday was the day before the palio, which is akin to the Kentucky Derby, with the exception that every resident of the city has a stake in the outcome. The city is divided into teams, called contrade, each of which has its own colors and flag. There seems to be a great deal of team pride here, as many residents were wearing their colors, and if not, they had bandanas with their team colors on it. The excitement in the city was very apparent!
(picture by Aunt Clare!)
The race takes place in the campo, with bleachers set up for the more important members of the city and the rabble crushed into the center of the ring. The horses run around the ring, and the entire race lasts only 90 seconds. But the winning team has a party that lasts all night long, with guests and tourists invited to help celebrate, and the winning horse eating at the head of the table, because it's the horse, and not the jockey, who is important in this race.
After walking through the campo, we spent some time in the Duomo, which was spectacular. Prior to my trip, I purchased "The Blue Guide" for Tuscany, which I highly recommend. (They also produce Blue Guides to other tourist destinations). This is not necessarily a comprehensive tour book, but it gives you the basics on how to travel to a city or area with a few hotels and restaurants, and the rest of the book is dedicated to the art of a city. The Duomo in Sienna took up four pages of my book, with almost every work of art in the church described in detail, including the artist, title, and approximate date of creation, along with a little history about the work. The Duomo in Sienna has the oldest Italian made stained glass window left in the world, which I never would have known if it were not for this book.
After walking through the campo, we spent some time in the Duomo, which was spectacular. Prior to my trip, I purchased "The Blue Guide" for Tuscany, which I highly recommend. (They also produce Blue Guides to other tourist destinations). This is not necessarily a comprehensive tour book, but it gives you the basics on how to travel to a city or area with a few hotels and restaurants, and the rest of the book is dedicated to the art of a city. The Duomo in Sienna took up four pages of my book, with almost every work of art in the church described in detail, including the artist, title, and approximate date of creation, along with a little history about the work. The Duomo in Sienna has the oldest Italian made stained glass window left in the world, which I never would have known if it were not for this book.
After we left the Duomo, we were trying to decide what to do next when we heard drums. We tried to follow them through the town, but couldn't catch up to them, but then we realized that they were heading towards the campo. We took a detour, and then saw that every contrada was parading into the city hall, right at the end of the campo. Each contrada had a drummer and two flag bearers, and they paraded (I assume from their home territory) into the campo and into city hall. Then they exited and left the campo...Aunt Clare and I were speculating that they had to sign some sort of registry on the day before the race. It was a very exciting day to be in Sienna, and thankfully, the bus driver for the return trip was experienced.
We headed home and picked up mom, and then set out for the best meal we've had in Florence. Aunt Clare remembered that we had eaten at a wonderful restaurant in 2005 on the night before Easter. Marco had recommended it, and luckily I had my notebook with the name of the restaurant: Da Osvaldo. We found it, and although the menu was extensive and wonderful, we decided to go with the "tasting menu", which was 6 courses, all surpises...whatever the chef decided to do. In addition, we had a very nice bottle of wine, recommended by the owner of the restaurant.
Before dinner (we had no idea what was in store for us!)
Our six courses were as follows:
Chickpea soup with shrimp in rosemary & brandy cream sauce
Duck terrine with prosciutto and crostini
Tagliatelle (made from both wheat and white flour) with pesto (made with pecorino in place of parmesan)
Guinea fowl sauce with ravioli gnudi (a kind of dumpling similar to gnocchi)
Pork with cream and balsamic vinegar sauce and roasted potato
Strawberry mousse.
We were SO full but SO happy when we finished....definitely one of the best meals I've had in my life!
Afterwards, we strolled to Piazza della Signoria to catch the last movement of Beethoven's ninth symphony, which was being performed by Zubin Mehta with the orchestra and chorus of the maggio musicale fiorentino. It was a beautiful evening, and the piazza was packed with people. The music was glorious, and it was a perfect end to a spectacular day.
Zubin Mehta in rehearsal before the performance (picture by Aunt Clare!)
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