Day 5: 1 July 2010

Slept in today and met Lisa and Benson at the base in Vicenza.  Had to surrender our passports for visitor badges and drive on/off in Lisa’s and Benson’s cars since everything here is so secure.  Went to the Commissary (post supermarket) for lunch.  American deli sandwiches really hit the spot…esp. the turkey since we can’t get that anywhere over here.  Prices were ridiculously cheap here and all in USD.  My sandwiches cost $1.20 and $0.21 for bottled water since the base doesn’t pay taxes on goods sold at the Commissary.  The catch: only people with military issued IDs can buy anything here.  We stocked up on water and snacks for the ride before taking a quick tour of the base w/Lisa in the 37*C heat!

Hit the road for Siena around 2:30PM for the 3 hr. drive.  The A4 and A13 were much the same as the last hour yesterday…flat with lots of farms, bails of hay, and truckers. One we hit the A1 near Bologna, the landscape changed drastically.  We drove for a good 1.5hrs on the elevated autostrada and through short mountain tunnels in what looks like a larger version of the Kangamangus Hwy in White Mountains.  We came out of the sparsely populated mountains and the road flattened out in Firenze.  From the hwy, you would never know this is the jewel of the Renaissance.  The outskirts seem heavily populated and the landscaped is dotted with powerlines and train rails.  Almost reminded me of driving into Granada.  I’m sure when we come back to visit later in the trip it will be just as beautiful as everyone says.

After taking the exit towards Siena, we drove through a heavily vegetated area woodsy area on the highway that opened up to picturesque rolling hills and small vineyards on the hillside when we exited for our hotel.  Pretty much just what Tuscany looks like on postcards and in the movies.  Unfortunately our GPS wasn’t recognizing the hotel’s address so we drove right by our hotel the first time and spent about 45 extra minutes driving around in circles on country roads looking for it.  Let’s just say we learned some key Italian phrases very quickly.  At least Hotel Semifonte exists, though, and it’s def. nicer than the Snooze!

Arrived in Siena around 7:45PM, too late for the Palio trial runs.  To add insult to injury, everyone was streaming back to their cars away from the city as we arrived.  Regardless, our night in Siena was still worth the 30 min. trip from our hotel just so we could get acquainted with the streets and the Palio.  Old Siena is a medieval town built on a hillside with narrow streets and buildings pretty much on top of each other.  The Duomo is at the highest point of the hill with steep streets leading to it.  Il Campo, the main square and town hall, is downhill from the Cathedral and is the site of the Palio.  Il Palio is a medieval horserace between the 17 contradas (neighborhoods) of Siena.  Spectators pack Il Campo on July 2^nd and Aug. 16^th every year to watch jockeys race against each other around the dirt track of Il Campo.  On the three days leading up to Il Palio, trial runs occur so each contrada can determine which horses to race on the day of Il Palio.  Although there are 17 contradas, only 10 race in July because there is not enough space on the track. 

As we walked through the streets of Siena, we noted that each contrada is clearly marked by its brightly colored flags hanging along its streets.  On the evening before Il Palio, each contrada hosts somewhere in the neighborhood, usually outdoors in the blocked off streets or piazzas.  Picture our wedding rehearsal dinner with long tables lining the street, but on a much larger scale.  Caught a glimpse of several lively dinners throughout town, including one on the Piazza del Duomo, where people were singing and chanting.  Speaking of people, everyone wears scarves supporting their contrada, or in the case of tourists, their favorite pattern.  You could really sense the energy and excitement that was to come walking around town.  Took lots of pictures to document this event, then grabbed dinner at a place Rick recommended.  The prices were def. right since we got good portions and free bread, but the food was not overly memorable.  With a lay of the land, we headed back to our hotel to catch a few hours of sleep before the big event.