Finally, a day of rest

I just took some fabulous photos from the terrace where we are staying outsie of Siena, but for some reason, I can't find them on my camera disk at the moment, so Treve Fountain in Rome will have to do.

We finally have fairly reliable internet access. What a relief. As you may imagine, I have been going through withdrawls!

Italy is wonderful, although I must admit, getting around has been a bit more complicated than I remembered. Today we have been doing mundane things like working out with our bands, doing laundry, shopping at the market in San Rocco il Pilli, and getting acclimated to the area. Susan, who is our host here at Montistigliano, is a Brit who's married to one of the Donate brothers. The Donates own the farm (still a working farm producing wheat, sunflowers, and of course, olive oil. They've restored a number of the buildings on the 3,000 acre farm and rent them out to vacationers like us. Tomorrow we will undoubtedly go to Volterra and perhaps San Giamiani.

Driving through the medieval cities has been quite an experience. One minute you are squeezing your way between 2 stone buildings and the next moment, you are in a huge piazza filled with hundreds of people, shops, gelatarias and souviener stands. We are allowed to drive in these areas usually restricted from traffic because we have a 'disability' permit. At times it is quite harrowing. I've yet to turn the wrong direction down a street, which would undoubtedly be disasterous. There is barely room for one car and a couple of pedestrians, let alone 2.

I must go find my photos. More later...

-Kathy