Incase some of you are unclear, this is how the blogs have been happening. I carry a journal with me everywhere (not just in Italy, at home too) and I have been writing whenever I'm inspired to do so. Every couple of days I find a pocket of time in my hotel room (with wifi service) to update my blog with all my journal entries. Every now and again there's a spontaneous entry, but you know, I'm not about formality. I'm just doing this for my own pleasure. And if you're getting a little something out of it, all the better for me!
So I didn't journal about my adventure from Montalcino to Siena to Florence so I'm writing this blog from memory. It wasn't my favorite day.
First, I was leaving Montalcino. Sad. Sitting in that beautiful little public garden right by the bus turnaround, I tried to soak it all in one last time, and pondered whether or not I could come here for longer than 2 or 3 days (the answer is yes). So on the 10:20 I get, off to Siena where I will arrive at 11:15 and catch the 1:50 bus to Florence. Since it's a Sunday the buses run on a more limited schedule. No biggie...I spent a little bit of time in Siena. I can fill the time.
Italian kid (maybe around 16) falls asleep on me. At least he didn't drool.
The bus dropped me off at the Siena train station where I needed to connect to the city center by another bus--short trip, maybe 10 minutes. So off I go with all my bags. On these buses the protocol is that you board with your ticket and punch them in a machine that is onboard, usually one at the front of the bus and one at the back or midpoint. EVERY OTHER TIME I punched my ticket. Maybe not immediately, but that seemed to be how everyone else was doing it. This time I couldn't store my big suitcase under the bus so I had my obnoxiously rolly bag, and my 2 other "carry ons" and I took the last seat on the bus. Once we started moving I noticed people getting up to punch their cards and I figured when I got up to disembark I'd punch it. Otherwise I'd be risking my big suitcase rolling into some old lady heading to church. I even pondered giving my ticket to the guy next to me who was punching for he and his girlfriend. But I was tired. I just wanted to chill for the 10 min. ride and not deal with the language barrier and all that bologna/proscuitto/salume. You get where I'm going, right? You know what happens next.
The bus stops and a very built suit and badge wearing guy, along with a sidekick who looked just like Amy Sedaris boarded the bus. Come to find out, these are the ticket police. He sees that I haven't punched my ticket, asks for my passport and makes me get off the bus. This sweet English and Italian speaking girl gets off with me and asks if I need help (to which I said, Yes-I think I do!). Long story short, I needed to pay this guy a 40 euro fine for not punching by the time he got on. It's a messed up honor system but if you get caught, there's no getting out of it. The sweet girl told me that it's not like a negotiable thing. You just have to pay them. Ouch. After I handed over my cash, surrounded by all my annoying luggage, I said, "Grazie??" Amy Sedaris shook her head and said, "No, no grazie." Ya.
Fortunately the city center was right around the corner. At this point I decidedc that a nice chilly Prosecco would be tasty. I'm just not the person that likes the establishment that is right on the center, wherever I am. I always want to go at least a block or two away to find something less...accessible. Well, there was nothing accessible. Sunday, remember. Almost everything was closed. I found one place that had white table cloths, fancy waiters, and seemed to be overpriced. Looking back, I could have enjoyed a couple hours there very nicely. But I chose to continue on, up and down the cobblestone streets of Siena, pulling/pushing my suitcase, and 2 "carry on" type bags. Seriously, up and down steep streets for like EVER. I was sweaty and smelly and seeing parts of Siena I didn't recognize from my first night in Italy getting totally lost in this small city.
Over an hour later I find myself back where I started. I just sat on a step and ate some cheese and salami I had picked up before I left Montalcino and downed my water. I ran in to the college girls from UCLA that I met my one night in Siena (that was a fun adventure that I'm not sure I blogged about) and caught up with them for a bit. It was really nice to see a few familiar faces, for sure. Familiar faces that spoke clear English that I had even the tiniest bit of history with. Thank you, Elizabeth and friends!
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