Made it to Siena

---

I made a mistake on my last entry, and neglected to publish it. So I could see it, but nobody else could.

Well, Nancy and I thoroughly enjoyed our REI trip, which ended yesterday. Now we've moved on to Siena (or Sienna, in English). We'll be here through Tuesday morning, and then move on to Orvieto.

September is the time of the Palio, the big bare-back horse race around the piazza. But the festivities are winding up. One torré, or team, just marched by in their colorful medieval costumes and drums. I believe that next weekend the teams are chosen that will actually compete in the Palio, so this is a big week for them.

---

Photos

The Last Supper
This was our last dinner with our friends from the REI tour. The restaurant faced the waterfront, and nobody wanted to leave when it ended. The tour was a lot of fun.

Nancy and Mike on the Isle of Tino
This was taken on the last hike of the REI trip. If you look closely at the point of land that's obvious over my left shoulder, you'll see another bit of land that's not as obvious, but represents the far side of the Cinque Terre. Over the course of two days, we hiked from that farthest point, past the more visible one, and on to Portovenere, which isn't visible, but is off to the right of the photo.

Some church in Sienna
Although we didn't note the name, this picture shows the ceiling over the entry of a little sanctuary for a church in Sienna. In the entry way, there was a man playing a flute, and the music resontated beautifully in the stone architecture of the church.

Our first restaurant in Sienna
This is the entry to the first restaurant we ate at in Sienna. Each plate displays the symbol of one Torré, or team, that competes in the Palio.
Because we arrived early (around 7:15), we had our choice of tables, and opted to eat in the alley outside the restaurant. Although the alley seemed very narrow, scooters and even a car drove between us and the restaurant during our meal. Also, the chef walked by us repeatedly to get fresh supplies from the storeroom, which also seemed to be across the alley from the restaurant.

Dinner in Sienna
This is Nancy and me eating dinner in at the restaurant in Sienna, dutifully taken by the very-accomodating waiter.
We feasted on Spaghetti alla Putanesca, Risotto con Parmigiano, and Cinghiale à Cacciatora (Wild Boar Cacciatora).