and out again

This is the town of Monteriggioni which I refer to below but for some reason I've put the photo in the wrong place. Read on and you'll get the picture.

Being in Tuscany is a bit like being hit on the head repeatedly with a cultural mallet. It's not just the big cities that are wonderful but even the little places and I hope this shows in this blog. I didn't think the other shot in the last blog of St Gimigiano (the city of towers) did it justice so this is one taken as I left the town. The convent I stayed at there was wonderful and I got a room to myself.

This is a group of hikers from Fidenza. The lady on the left called Anika works in the offices of the VF offices in Fidenza (see earlier blog). She'd also done 16 days living on Swansea marina and studying English at Swansea Uni. "Did I know Ammanford" and "How did you think Joe's icecream in Mumbles compared to the Italian sort" were not the sort of conversation topics I thought I'd meet on this journey. Every time they found me crashed out under a tree they made sure I was ok.

As a result of a bit of a mistake on the monastery front I found myself staying a night in Montriggioni in an apartment. This is nightfall just as the trattorias are opening. As you see the town on the hilltop it is spectacular. See the first picture on this blog.

A sideways shot of the Duomo in Siena. This is the most wonderful city. Not only is it all you'd expect from a great Renaissance city but it is very friendly and you don't get ripped off. For example, I had an early morning coffee in the Piazza del Campo (see later shot) before the crowds arrived and it was o.9 eu which is great when you think of the rip off prices normally charged in this sort of location.

I got a room near the city centre and it looked ok (ish) from the outside. I later found that the back entrance was the old servants entrance and three floors up the front entrance was an old pallazzo. My room opened onto the old entrance hall complete with vaulted ceilings and marble floors. It also had a great roof garden where I sat and eat peaches one afternoon.

And here is the Piazza del Campo where they have the mad, bareback horse races between the different neighbourhoods. I always thought it was flat but there must be a 30 ft drop between the top and bottom of the course, which must make cornering on cobbles a bit difficult. Just stunning in the early morning though.

Of all the places I've stayed this one had probably the best outlook. It's the Hotel Borgo Antico in Lucignano D'Arbia, a day walk from Siena. Paulo, the owner, and his staff made me very welcome. It's a bit more expensive than the places I normally stay but the view from the dining terrace is wonderful (as is the food and at reasonable prices).

Nearly out of Tuscany now. I had a bit of a climb one morning and came over the top of a ridge to see San Castiglioni on the opposite ridge. Without looking at the guide book I had a premonition that I'd have to go down into the valley and back up and I was right. 500m down to 200m and back up to 800m (above sea level) and all in a distance of a km. I was done in.

This is the view from the front gate of a little fortified village on the first ridge which pilgrims would have walked through. Sorry for the orientation but I just liked the photo.

After another day in the hills I came to Piancastagnaio. Down in the valley is Lazio Province. And Rome.