Siena

Living in Rome has definitely required some adjustments, as Karen and I had to re-learn various mundane routines.  For example, I stroded down to the restroom for a #1, and it took me a while to identify the trigger which activated the system.

Anyway, after that we headed out Rome and decided to take the train.  We noticed this one girl who must have skimped on her ticket, as her seat location was a little peculiar…

This is certainly most inconvenient when some passengers need to pass, but beyond that, it is most awkward to have to face a passenger for the entire duration of the trip.  Yours truly happened to be that passenger.

It was one thing to be in the same compartment with 4 other passengers, but being observed like Jim Carrey in the Truman Show while we ate, read, and napped was most unpleasant.

After a few hours, we arrived at the destination, Palazzo Bruchi, where the doors were characteristically small…

And the keys were super high-tech…

Not to mention super-large size penthouses…

And included fancy breakfast served in your room!  Okay okay, so it was some self-serve packaged food, definitely a downgrade from the Convent.

After being spoiled by the St. Peter’s Basilica, we decided to check out the Duomo in Siena, and the facade was…

a facade in the truest sense.  What timing…  Anyway, at least not all sides were wrapped up.

Inside, the entire interior was lined with 172 Pope’s heads, giving a very eerie feeling, as if it were straight from some Hunted House movie….

After that we ventured to Il Campo, the best square in Italy.  No idea why it’s the best square because it’s just a flat piece of land…

We had dined on the square, and the food was actually quite good.  We had some deliciously prepared Salmon…  cooked to medium.

After this we joined the evening walk along Via Banchi di Sopra, basically the one road that runs through town.  I think the whole town was shopping on this street, and it wasn’t long before we reached the end, where all the young people from the town hung out.

I wonder if some of these kids will just grow up in this town and be sheltered from the rest of the world…  Just when we thought we reached the end, we noticed there were people coming up from the underground with a Italian guard posted at the entrance.  Hmm, what was it?  A secret passageway?  Nuclear testing?  Matlab?  Karen and I took out our courage, walked pass the guard, and descended the escalator, only to end up at…

A grocery store.  Okay, maybe we got too carried away with our imagination.

For more pictures, check out the Siena gallery.

Siena was certainly a relaxing town, but we were about to hit the most recognizable monument of all.  Where was this place?  Why did the police start throwing people out?  Find out next time on my blog!