While we were waiting on the graffiti-covered train platform, we were approached by the beautiful woman who warned us about gypsies and pickpockets in Florence (their begging is an annoyance, but it can be a coverup for outright theft). It turned out she is a professional tour guide named Carolina who lives is Montecatini and was on her way to Florence for a translating job. When we arrived in Florence, Carolina led us to where we could see our bus station and we said goodbye.
The map shows our route. The red line is a the train segment, the one we took earlier into Florence. The blue line is the bus trip, on the "Siena Rapida" (express) which was very comfortable. The ride to Siena was beautiful. Lovely hills, farms, a spectacular view of Monteriggioni, a walled town on a hilltop.
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Siena deserved much more time than we could give it, but we did at least get a taste of the place (enough to make us want to go back).
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the Sienese Contrade - These districts were set up in the Middle Ages in order to supply troops to the many military companies that were hired to defend Siena as it fought to defend its independence from Florence and other nearby city states. As time has gone by, however, the contrade have lost their administrative and military functions and have instead become simply areas of localised patriotism, held together by the emotions and sense of civic pride of the residents. Their roles have broadened so that every important event - baptisms, deaths, marriages, church holidays, victories at the Palio, even wine or food festivals - is celebrated only within one's own contrada. Every contrada has its own museum, fountain and baptismal font, motto, allied contrada (only Oca has no allies) and enemy contrada (only four - Bruco, Drago, Giraffa and Selva - have no declared enemies). - Wikipedia
Much of this is detailed here. There is much more here. Contrada loyalty even extends to dinnerware. | ||
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