Siena Culture

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Decide it would be a good morning for a sleep in, expecially if the fog is anything like the previous morning as it was looking like when we retired. The bells in the many churches had other ideas though and we are woken up at about 7. When we head down for breakfast, Dennis is there fussing around, makes us a cappuccino & then more cheeses, meats, fruit and we share a bombolone (custard filled pastry), off to a good start. He's surprised we don't want to eat anymore and even offers to pack some to go. We spend half an hour chatting to him about sites and our experiences, we are the only ones in, so I guess he has plenty of spare time. He's (we find out later) German, speaks pretty good English (& presumably Italian) has been here 4 years and is a Sienese addict, which is handy. We head out for some site seeing, the cathedral, museums, archaeological stuff (about 3 floors down under the hospital - a bit freaky) and then after our mid morning machiato (a bit late today) the Opera Museum where we get to climb up narrow staircases to an arch overlooking the city, unbelievable view - we find our hotel and zoom to take the reverse shots of the previous night! Jules threatens to push me off for all the derogatory remarks about whether she'll still fit through the narrow openings! Time for lunch, back to Il Campo, where its sunny and we find another cafe sitting looking across the piazza. Jules has soup (just like her mother used to make), me fried eggs, grilled veggies and speck (like prosciutto), some Chianti and bread with olive oil and balsamic to drizzle on. 3:30 now, one more place to visit, the national art gallery, found it a bit dull as it was 99% religious paintings - the madonna and child (lost count) and the crucifixion finally, plus some amusing scenes of religious 'cleansing' which certainly appealed more. As I walked around I could not stop thinking of Allo Allo and the fallen Madonna with the big boobies. Now some retail therapy, back to Nanninos for an espresso & then to the shop next door where I'd seen some really cool boots (yes boots) the day before. Fortunately they have my size and at 90 euros a bargain! Jules next, we find the shop again (from yesterday) and I convince her to buy these knee length boots she had tried on the day before. Not telling how much! Back to hotel and a bottle (piccolo mind you) of prosecco & 2 glasses awaits compliments of the lovely Dennis. Back to lounge for some more internet therapy. Back to the lounge for some more internet therapy. Dinner tonight? We choose "Da Diva" one of the read about on trip advisor (and Dennis informs us the next morning is "the best restaurant in all of Siena" - we can pick them! Jules has the Quaill on a bed of spinach, tasty, me the Chinghuale (wild boar again) ragu with pasta, this is the dish I'd most been looking forward to since getting to Italy and was not disappointed. Then stuffed port roll for her, me the guinea fowl, crumbed with chestnuts and a fennel timbale. We share a dessert, rich chocolate pudding with hazlenut icecream. Da Diva is from the outside just another restaurant in a lane, but inside its 3 levels in an Etruscian cave, smells a bit musty at the bottom, luckily we dined at street level. Our english speaking waitress was very helpful during the meal but had left before we'd settled up so we had an interesting time paying the bill as the owner didn't have any.

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