Heading North

Arrivederci Siena

North to Bolzano, Italy

We departed Siena with the weather matching our feelings about leaving both the beloved city and people who touched our hearts. 

The bus to Bologna, said to always be on time, was ½ hour late. However in answer to prayer, the driver made up for time on the highway. So upon arriving in Bologna we quickly made our way down the street from the bus to the train station with minutes to spare before boarding.

Something that has made our train travel easier, Grazie a Mila (thank you Mila!), is adding to our vocabulary the word ascensore translated elevator. We no longer need to separate our stacked luggage and lug them up and down several flights of stairs.  Adesso (now) we glide up and down between levels in the ascensore - as seen in the photo to the right.  How did we miss that!

Once safely on the train we settled in to enjoy the scenery. As we headed north, we took in sights of cypress lined lanes meandering through expanses of green often winding their way up hillsides to picturesque villas or castles. Cities characterized by an assortment of red tiled rooftops with church clock towers reaching skyward - the stereo typical scenes of Tuscany. 

All were gradually replaced by more Germanic looking stucco faced structures with pointed church steeples rising high above. The vegetation changed as expanses of green narrowed into valleys and rolling hills rose into tall snow capped mountain peaks.

City names, station markers and store advertisements began to represent two languages – that of Italian and German.  We arrived in Bolzano in the late afternoon, settled into our flat and after exploring the streets sat down to eat a German meal. We were still in Italy, but aside from the presence of the Italian language, the German influence pervaded. 

We later learned the Germanic influence was due to the fact that up until 1919 Bolzano had been part of South Tyrol. 

It has been said that the way to determine whether a man is German or Italian is as follows. "If he is drinking beer he is German, but if he is drinking wine he is Italian." For the women, "If she is wearing high heels (while gracefully walking down a cobblestone street) she is Italian. If she is wearing sensible shoes she is German"

Arrivederci Siena

Basilica di San Dominico at Dawn

Waking early our last morning in Siena, I ventured out into the cold to say arrivederci to my favorite sites within its city walls. From the doorway, San Dominico was barely visible through the fog. Floodlights highlight many of the massive historic buildings throughout the night and into the early morning hours creating stunning architectural sights all around the city.

Entering the Piazza del Duomo

I turned left up Via di Diacceto, past the school and up the steps to the Piazza del Duomo. Usually filled with the hum of large crowds and vendors, the only sound heard was cooing and the flap of pigeon wings set to flight by my presence. 

Musical strains quickly entered my thoughts as I reflected on the street musician as he passionately played his violin in the corner to my right.  

Rays of light from streetlamps made their way through the foggy mist casting a yellow glow about the courtyard. 

Rounding the corner my eyes came to rest on a young couple, their voices barely audible, seated on a long stone bench as they took in the breathtaking sight of the Duomo - its tall tower barely visible in the fog. 

The Duomo

Piazza del Duomo

Following the path to our frequently visited caffè bar, I was surprised by a sudden burst of laughter making its way through an unlatched window. A door flew open as an agente di polizia locale stepped outside for an early morning smoke. After casting an inquisitive glance my direction he lit his cigarette and drew in a deep inhalation of smoke. The street narrowed opening onto the Via di Città and past the Piazza del Campo. 

On I went taking twists and turns up and down narrow alleys. Streetlights began to take on a more pristine hue as the fog lifted with the rising o the sun. Lights came on in windows; doors were opening; storefront grilles were being rolled up.  Siena was waking up to say Buongiorno (good morning) as I was walking past to say Goodbye.

Palazzo Pubblico in the Piazza del Campo

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L'ultima Settimana di Scuola

The Last Week of School

Left to Right: Annette, Mauro (director), Julie, Franca, Me, Aldo and Paula (staff)

Our last week of school was over too soon, and for us it ended with a teary good-bye as we gave each of our instructors and staff a hug American style. What wonderful, caring people, devoted to giving each student the best overall experience possible. Their help was not limited to teaching the Italian language – it moved out beyond the classroom.

Annette, Amon, Elettra (teacher), Julie, Sabrina (teacher), Me

We met so many wonderful people starting with the vivacious Camille and her four footed companion Gracie - both from Florida. Camille, whose absence I immediately felt when passing by her abandoned flat, was with us all four weeks. Next was the youthful Leanne from Canada, then Greg and Tracy, a lovely couple from New Zealand who were here two weeks and Thomas from Germany, followed by the soft spoken Sherry from Florida, and Franca, a burst of enthusiastic energy, from Canada/Florida - each person adding to the richness of our experience in their own unique way.

L'ultimo Aperitivo: Left to Right: Camille, Mauro, Me, Annette, Franca, Julie, Sherry

Aldo, Paula, Sherry, Me, Julie, Mauro, Elettra, Franca, Annette, Amon, 2 amici (dov'è` Sabrina!)

Il Pranzo, the school’s tradition of joining together for lunch at the end of the week, was a lovely way to bring our month of schooling to a close.

Learn more about  Saena Iulia Language School here: http://www.saenaiulia.it/italiano/

Fotografie di Siena

Siena is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Via dei Malcontenti: (Street of Malcontents or Discontented)

Vicolo S. Salvatore divides into two streets: Via della Giustizia (The way of justice or righteousness) to the right, and Via dei Malcontenti (The way of the discontented or malcontent) to the left.  Having recently passed by the Via dell'inferno in Bologna, the possibility of a story behind the street's name piqued my interest. I found my answer on a Siena guided walking tour website. Criminals sentenced to death walked along either of these streets on their way to Poggio delle Forche just outside the city. The website says that street derived its name from the fact that the evildoers were anything but happy about the way they were headed.

Piazza del Mercato

Porta Romana (beow) is one of Siena's ten ports into the city. Eight of these ports, or gates, were fortified with battlements and bulwarks for defense. The Porta Camollia bears the inscription Cor Magis Tibi Siena Pandit translated Siena opens its heart to you wider than this gate, was written to pay homage to  Ferdinando 1 the Grand Duke of Tuscany.

Porta Romana: One of the Siena's 10 gates

Siena was a flourishing city in the 14th century. In competition with equally robust cities Siena had plans to expand its existng Duomo. However, due to the devastation brought on by the black plague (1346-1353), the  structure below was never completed. Estimates vary, but it is said that 60% of the Florentine population died from the plague.

The Duomo di Siena (below) was built between 1215-1263. It is considered to be a masterpiece of Italian Romanesque-Gothic architecture.

Il Duomo di Siena 

Il Nostro Appartamento

Il Nostro Appartamento a Siena: Our Apartment in Siena

The View of San Dominica from Outside Our Apartment

As previously noted, our apartment, Via di Diacceto 21, is in the historic city center near the Piazza del Campo and the Duomo. 

The historic city of Siena is divided into 17 Contrade. 
These divisions were set in place in the early 1700s in Il Bando di Violante di Baviera: The Notice of Violante of Bavaria . This document is still used today to deter-mine the contrada boundaries.

I read that contrada affiliation is so strong among the Sienese that they consider themselves part of their contrada first, then Sienese, and then Italian.

Among other things, each contrada has its own constitution, government seat, flag, coat of arms, emblem, fountain, chapel and Patron Saint. Ten of the contrade are represented in the famous Palio. Before each race, the contrada horse it taken into its chapel to be blessed. 

Apartment Entrance is Below the Balcony

Interestingly it was not the streets that determined the Contrada boundaries - it was owners and buildings. 

Thus Via di Diacceta is part of more than one contrada with our apartment being in the Nobile Contrada dell'Oca: the Nobile Contrada of the Goose: a white goose with green and red bands crowned with the cross of Savoia around its neck. By the way the Oca contrada has won the most races (63), followed by Chiocciola (the snail) and the Tartuca (snail). I guess Aesoph was correct when he said, Slow and steady wins the race.

Other animals represented are the panther, eagle, she wolf, dragon, giraffe unicorn, etc. Some of the emblems are a bit surprising such as the snail and caterpillar, wave (with a dolphin) and tower (with an elephant).

The apartment is situated on a bridge overlooking Via di Fontebranda, one of the several ports (gates) leading outside the city wall. Below are front and back views of the apartment.

Apartment from the Front

Apartment from the Back

View Out Back the Window

View Out the Front Window

A Final Journey

Journey with me on my last day of class as I climb my way up the stairs to school:

Left above: The window on the left, highlighted by the sun is our classroom. Right above: The       

entrance to the School from the lower street opens into a courtyard.

Left: Once in the courtyard, you enter through this door climb a few stairs, turn the corner and head up the next flight of stairs (below).

 

Below: Around the next corner, if you need to catch your breath you can stop here. (Just for the record, we never did. The issue isn't the number of stair [sixty-seven] it is how steep they are...)

Right Below: After the previous flight of stairs, you walk down a wide hall and it opens up into a large room, but you are not there yet - one last flight of stairs (below).

You are Almost there!!!

Just two more steps and there is the door!!!
You made it!

Two Italian Men: One Younger - One Older

The Younger One is In Love! 
(Our waiter at a favorite restaurant)

So is the older one.... Need I explain?

Assisi: La Nostra Ultima Gita

Our last excursion was to another walled city atop a hill. Assisi is the birthplace of St Francis, the son of a prosperous silk merchant in the 12th century. Following a vision in his youth, Francis abandoned his life of wealth devoting himself to God and a life of poverty eventually founding the Franciscan order. The synopsis of his life can be seen in the beautiful frescoes lining the walls of the Basilica named after him. Italians have a deep appreciation for beauty. Even the ceilings are covered with rich art in the porticoes as well as buildings.

Assisi is likewise the birthplace of St Clare, who also abandoned a life of wealth after hearing St Francis preach. Neither of their families were happy about their decisions. Both have very interesting life stories. Many of us will remember the beautiful film Brother Sun sister Moon directed by Franco Zeffirelli (1972).

The well-known prayer, often referred to as Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace, is attributed to St Francis.

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, the faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;

To be loved as to love.For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

After touring the Basilica, we had time to wander the steep streets of Assisi finishing our time with an aperitivo at the Piazza Commune. Afterward we began our descent out of the village enjoying the beautiful  twilight scenery as we went. 

Assisi - also referred to as The City of Peace

Entering the Twilight Zone

On our late night return from Bologna the call for Siena came over the loudspeaker and we quickly departed the train. Collectively, our third time at this stop, we knew the routine. Or so we thought. Typical to train stations, we had to cross under the tracks, which meant going down a flight of stairs, turn right and then straight ahead to the end of the underpass, back up the steps to the train tracks and out to the sidewalk. There we would find the usual line up of taxis awaiting patrons. 

Only that is not what we found… (In case you are not already tuned into the background sounds… imagine the eerie theme song to the Twilight Zone softly setting up the scene.) Unexpectedly, rather than steps leading back up to the train tracks, we exited the underpass onto a rolling sidewalk leading us upward which lead to another, even steeper rolling sidewalk. Hmm a different way to the street we wondered?

The top of the moving sidewalk led to a double door suddenly opening into a brightly lit food court - like those you see in a shopping mall. A steep escalator in the center of the court went up and out of sight. Di dove siamo?! Where are we? was the question of the moment! Did we get off at the wrong stop! But no… they called out Siena, we saw the sign and it was obviously the last stop. Not knowing what else to do, we continued our upward climb on the escalator. (Remind you of Paris Joelle?)

Retracing Our Steps During Regular Business Hours

At the top of the third escalator we found ourselves at the base of yet another steep escalator in the center of what appeared to be an underground mall. We left the stores behind us and continued upward with each escalator appearing steeper than the last.

  

We continued up higher and higher with no signs of the outdoors. Were we underground? Where were we going? We had absolutely no idea until the top of the tenth escalator finally brought us out onto the street. There was our long desired taxi zone, but without the benefit of taxis. Other than the fact that all the signs were written in Italian, we had no idea where we were! If we were in Siena, we were outside the city wall. 

Retracing our steps.... in the daylight

On the other side of the street a small ristorante showed signs of life, so across we went to see if we could discover where we were, and more important, how to get where we wanted to be. Inside Annette asked a blond hair, blue eyed girl “You don’t happen to speak English do you?” She did and she also knew where to direct us.  “Where are you from?” she asked. “California,” we said. “Me too,” she said. “What part? we said. “The far north,” she said. “Us too,” we said. "Where?" someone said. “Redding,” we all said.