Pisa and Siena

Yesterday, my roommate and I decided that we should take another trip. This time, instead of taking the train, we decided to drive the Panda. It turned out to be a great idea. After my roommate won a poker game with some of the guys, we took that money and filled up the gas tank. We got the directions, and we were on our way.

The first stop we would make was to Pisa. Pisa is along the coast, and Siena is a little farther south and in the middle of the Tuscan wine country. It was absolutely beautiful driving through the country side. We were surrounded by mountains, as the roads seemed to cut through them like you see in a car commercial. It took us about 2 hours to arrive at Pisa. After finding parking, we got out and started the walk into the center.

The center entrance is a big arched wall. I was excited to see the tower, and I didn't really know what to expect. We walked through the arches and into a massive courtyard. To our right were vendors, lined up selling merchandise. To the left, green grass and a large church. There was both a dome and a church, and behind it was the leaning tower.

I had expected the tower to be bigger than what it was. I also expected it to be brown. I don't know why, but it's just what I thought. Needless to say, it was very white, made of marble of course. The church was the same, and it was surrounded by beautiful grass. The courtyard was very nice, and tourists surrounded the buildings. You can tell the tower is being held up at this point. It is amazing how it leans, and that it hasn't fallen by now. Back in the day, they wouldn't let tourists into the tower. Now, for a fee of course, you can climb the tower. It was a little too steep in price for us, so we took a pass. After walking around the center a bit and getting some food, we left Pisa to go to Siena. Pisa really only has the tower and church to offer. Once you have seen a city center, you have seen them all.

The drive from Pisa to Siena was about 2 hours as well. We went from the coast into the legitimate Italian countryside of Tuscany. Everywhere we looked, there were beautiful vineyards. It made Napa valley look like Staten Island. There were amazing homes on top of mountainous terrain, and the air smelt pure. We arrived at Siena and started walking toward the city. The city from a distance is a sight to be seen. In such a small radius, there are buildings upon buildings. At its highest point stands the duomo. It wouldn't be an Italian city without a duomo, right?

If you have seen the James Bond movie, The Quantom of Solace, there is a scene where there is a horse race in the middle of a city circle. This takes place in Siena twice a year. It is a huge event, and thousands upon thousands of people come to the city to see the spectacle. We actually may try to get to it in June. The main circle has turns much like a race track, angled all around. The fill these cobblestone streets with dirt, line the circle with mattresses, and the horses race. Look it up if you haven't seen it, it is pretty cool.

Anyway, we got on line to climb the tower. They only let 30 people at a time up, as it is the highest viewing point in the city. While waiting on line, we met a couple who was vacationing from California. We climbed the tower with them, and looked at the beautiful city below. You could see the whole countryside. When the pictures are posted, you will see for yourself.

After the tower, we took a walk to the oldest functioning bank in the world, the Monte dei Paschi. It is over 500 years old, and still functioning today. We then made our way over to the duomo. The outside of the church is amazing, with gold plated paintings near its peak. Much smaller than Florence, the inside was incredibly detailed. I will let the pictures and video do the explaining for me.

We then parted ways with our new friends, and got back in the Panda and headed home. Siena is an amazing city, and if you ever venture to Italy make sure you put it on your list of things to see. It has certainly been one of my favorites so far. I hope everybody had a great weekend, and I would also like to shout out the Gina's for a weekend sweep. Enjoy the pictures and video and talk to you soon!

Pisa

Siena