Where Do You Park in Siena?

We drove to Siena today for a guided tour, some sightseeing, some shopping, and some wine and food. Caren and I have been there a couple of times before. A great place to visit and lots of photo ops.

I dropped everyone off a few hundred yards from the walled city and started to look for a parking space. I drove around the entire city. Nothing. Dozens of other cars wandering around like me looking for an empty space.

Finally, I gave up, parked in a lot near the highway, and took a cab into town. Come Friday, we are taking the train to Florence. No more of this B.S. trying to park in crowded Italian cities.

The Duomo in Siena is magnificent on the inside. This is the one month of the year they take the covering off the floow so people can view the mosaic artwork underneath.

The Piazza del Campo is a stunning public plaza. To think that they hold a huge horse race around this plaza twice a year, packing thousands of people into the center while the horses race around the inside perimeter. The 17 contradas (or districts) each race horses for bragging rights in the city. Bryan bought a piece of artwork of the Il Palio race.

Of course, we had to make a gelato stop. It has become a once a day tradition (sometimes twice a day).

Breaking News: Still no agreement on Alitalia's future. End of the road for them after tomorrow? A lot of people think it would be a good thing. I called Expedia today and told them to start looking for alternate flights back to the U.S..