Brighter skies greeted us on our second day in Italy as we headed off to Siena not only to visit this well known Tuscan city but to meet up with Nick's cousin coincidentally travelling in the area. About a 30 minute drive from Villa Mezola, we arrived with plenty of time to make our rendezvous on the Piazza del Campo.Piazza del Campo, at the heart of Siena, is famous for its shell-shape, and is very much the focus of city life. "The piazza took shape at the end of the 1200s, on a space that was for a long time used for fairs and markets and was situated at a crossroad of important streets. The paving is made of red bricks arranged in fishbone style, divided into a sunburst pattern by nine strips of travertine. When it was built (the flooring dates back to the 1300s) it managed to hold the entire population of Siena, who gathered here to attend events, tournaments, and buffalo and bull races." Today, Il Palio, a traditional medieval horse race is run around the Piazza del Campo each year. This two minute a horse race is the greatest traditional festival in Siena and is held on 2 July and 16 August. "Thousands of people come as spectators and participants, transforming the main piazza into a teeming sea of people." 1
Fortunately for us, while we were there, it was just an ordinary mid-week day in October or we might never have found Nick's cousin. Jocelyn Bates, who lives in Portland, OR, was on sabbatical in Italy with her good friend, Pat, and it just so happened was able to meet up with us right here on the Piazza del Campo!
Within the Piazza del Campo is the Fonte Gaia, a fountain unique in its quadrangular form and surrounded by beautiful figures on the edges.
We all had lunch together at a small restaurant just a short walk from the piazza on via Rossi called Osteria L'Osteria*. Everyone enjoyed their meals but the homemade pasta with fresh truffles was out of this world!
After lunch, we strolled the streets of Siena walking off a bit of lunch. It truly was a colorful town to explore...
We noticed many young people walking around town with fresh wreaths on their heads like the one you can see in the next photo. We think there had been a graduation somewhere in town earlier that day...
We gradually worked our way over to another major landmark in Siena; Cattedrale dell'Assunta (the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption) located on the Piazza del Duomo. "The Duomo was begun in the twelfth century and is one of the great examples of Italian romanesque architecture. Its main façade, built with a dark green and white marble, was completed in 1380. It is a truly a beautiful building which was added onto through the years mixing Gothic and Romanesque architecture.
It contains works by many artists, including Donatello, Pisano and Arnolfo di Cambio. One of its main attractions is the marble-inlaid floor, to which many artists contributed." 2
Here is the backside of the Duomo as we are beginning our decent from the piazza and the town itself...
On the way down we took in the beautiful view of the town along with the Church of San Domenico. The church was begun in 1226-1265, but was enlarged in the 14th century to the Gothic appearance it has now....
As we walked to the car, Nick, Ted and Jono are either discussing the news of the 700 point plunge in the US stock market that day or how long they must wait for their next plate of pasta!
Back at Villa Mezola, we didn't have all that long to wait for another amazing meal. That night we went to La Tenda Rossa* located right in our little village of Cerbaia (near San Casciano Val di Pesa). One guide book descibed it this way: "There is a shiny red door through which you enter into a very special gastronomic world. The modern and comfortable environment, the politeness of the waiters are only details in comparison to the cuisine level. The food, always very well presented, is a refined elaboration of Tuscan and Italian recipes. The restaurant offers also a prestigious wine list." Another said; "It is one of the handful of restaurants in all of Italy to receive a remarkable two stars from in the revered Michelin Red Guide!" Needless to say, it was a gastronomic experience, the service was impecable and the six of us had an unforgetable evening. If you ever find yourself in Cerbaia, be sure not to miss La Tenda Rossa.
Tomorrow, we are off to the Chianti region to explore some smaller villages and go to a winery!
Arrivederci!!
*Osteria L'Osteria, Via Rossi, 7953100 Siena (SI), Italy+39 0577 287592
*Tenda Rossa, Piazza del Monumento 9-14, Cerbaia Val di Pesa, Firenze.Tel.+39.055.826132Closed: Wednesday, Thursday for lunch, August.
2.http://www.aboutsiena.com/monuments-in-Siena.html 
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