Wednesday in Siena and Florence

So this morning Kaitlin decided to be the responsible one, she woke up early, checked off most of her to-do list and settled back in for nap until I was ready. I was not ready… and we had to race to the train station, purchase tickets with a scant 3 minutes until departure (the lines were so long I decided to pay cash in an automatic machine)… we frantically ran about trying to find the train, but the ticket contained almost no information on it. Kaitlin got us to the correct train, but it wasn’t without the daily dose of sweat and adrenaline we are becoming so accustomed too.

So here I should explain that there are a few trains everyday to Florence and Sienna that cost about half the price, I just had an epiphany about why, but we will get to that. So, Kaitlin had the ticket departing to Rome and arriving in a transfer city and I had the ticket leaving the transfer city, arriving in Sienna, hence my ticket was of no use and explains why the conductor told us we were at the wrong place the first time we got to the train. Thankfully, Kaitlin, with her Rome departure ticket led us back to the train just in the nick of time… I have no idea how we made it in 3 minutes but that is the story of this trip.

As I previously mentioned our second ticket didn’t have much information on it, so when we arrived in the transfer city we went straight to Information and held the ticket up to the glass, “Bus, out the door turn left” was the dry reply over the speaker. Bus? We didn’t want a bus, we wanted a train, we have already had our fill of buses. This may be why our tickets were half price. Kaitlin instantly went for the Dramamine and we settled in for another nauseating drive through wine country. We napped and after 2 long hours we pulled up to the station at Sienna.

Our current knowledge of Sienna: 2011 Top 10 European City in Travel and Leisure Magazine. That’s it. That’s all we know, but I wanted to hit as many of the cities on that list as possible, so there we were, in Sienna, Italy without a clue in the world.

The bus station dropped us off in the entrance of a mall so we ventured in and without much trouble (note much sarcasm here) got some lunch. After lunch, mall cafeteria coffee (still delicious), I adored our barista and wish we would have left her our blog address. Afterward we went up the escalator expecting to find Sienna, instead we found another escalator and another and another, I think 5 in total and they were the long ones, like at the Pittsburgh Zoo. When we reached the top the view was beautiful, as you might have expected after so many escalators. We wandered the city, but found it to be quiet and uneventful, so we got some gelato (Kaitlin will testify this is some of the best gelato she has ever had) and within an hour of entering the city we were gone.

*Kaitlin and I have noted that everything is more expensive in Europe except coffee and wine. This has led to dehydration and cracked lips, but the coffee and wine are so delicious we suffer on.

So it seems there is a train that passes through Sienna and although it did not bring us into this city I am glad it will be leading us out. A few hours later we were in Florence, for the third time in three days, this time we are hoping to see more than the block encircling the train station. The first hour was not very promising, we spent the time circling the station eating, drinking, using the restroom and trying to obtain directions, but around 615 we received news that the “Bubbly (Buboli) Gardens” do not close until 730, so we made a mad dash for the taxi stand across the street and headed off. 

By 630 we were dropped off at the entrance. The man blocking the entrance said closed and when I showed him the paper the tourist office had given us stating that it did not close until 730 he muttered some Italian which I translated as, “English are not allowed in after 6”. Sad and deflated after such a long and disappointing day we headed back to the huge door which marked the entrance to the inner city and eventually walked to 47 v. de’ Serragli ( during the taxi cab I noticed the charming trattoria and the sign for $2 vini and amazingly I caught the address as well). We ordered a few sandwiches and finished up 4 glasses of wine, content that this is why we came all this way, back to Florence, for the third time, we meandered back to the train station, back to Rome.

Back to the hostel and the common room for about an hour until midnight until we translocate to the lobby- good wifi connection and a place to hunker down when the common room is closed.  Iban and JP have made us feel at home in their lobby and we are accustomed to their routine, raise the feet to sweep, then up to mop… Need another internet card? Here, for when your time runs out. Some pizza? Sure. Tea? No thanks the Chianti is treating us well. Now that we found an outlet, they will never get rid of us. We owe a huge acknowledgment and I am not sure we will ever be able to repay their kindness and acceptance. Thank you guys J You have made us a temporary home in your lobby in Rome and I hope to return someday and return the favor.

During our time in the lobby we also met a couple hostellers from England who were able to suggest a pizzeria outside Naples… hope we are able to make it tomorrow, if not Karen has done some legwork for us also and located some amazing Neapolitan pizza in Naples- thanks Karen!

Today we did a whole lot of nothing, but when we find those gems we are reminded that every agonizing moment is worth it, here is to a better tomorrow (Alli raises the bottle of 1.99E Chianti and takes a large swig). Salut!

While I’m on the subjects of thanks, if any of the McGees are reading, thanks for helping take care of the Bean. A dog is a huge responsibility and I am so happy to have so many friends so close to home willing to help. I will see you all soon!