Siena, Italy - Day 2

Photos:
Slept until 5:30, Skyped with the family, then we out in my pj's for a little Early Morning Camera Club. It was foggy this morning, and I took pictures off all the same things I did yesterday, but with fog and totally different light. It was equally satisfying. I discovered dewy spiderwebs, more hairy bees and beautifully textured rocks that line the drive up to the house. I walked down to the hunting platform, after being reassured by Is-aaah-BEY-aaa-laaa that hunting season was over. The noise of the local wildlife was deafening and hilarious. Some brids were crowing in Italian, and there were some of the loudest frogs I have ever heard. They would not pose for me, as a matter of fact, they went completely silent when I approached their little pond. As I walked away, I think they were relieved and went back to their Italian gurgles and grunts.

Went back to sleep

Food:
We drove into town (what town? I have no idea) and went to the local co-op, which is the supermarket. Even in the junky supermarket, there were cured meats, fresh pasta, and fresh cheese. What else do you need in life? How about giant chocolate covered, toy filled easter eggs? Because there were plenty of those. I am starting to think that Easter is a big deal around here. The market was full of old ladies moving slowly and with no thought to traffic flow. In that way, it was exactly like Vicente Foods. We went home and ate tomatoes with burrata, the holiest of all cheese, bread and olives.

Photos:
After practicing endlessly how to pronounce it, we drove to San Gimignano, another tiny walled town on top of a hill. The narrow streets housed tiny gelaterias and pizzerias and more food shops that featured taxidermied boars than you would imagine. They really do like their boar here. There was beautiful light on every street, and it made me wonder if the city was planned that way. In New York, you are generally in indirect light or harsh sun, rarely the gentle glow that compliments every single street here. Down every alley was a peek at the surrounding countryside and tonight's pink sunset. We were there during all kinds of light, from full sun to darkness, and every street was beautiful all the time. I regret not photographing the crowd of Italian boys smoking on the steps, but you all know that I sometimes get lost in the buildings and the sky and forget to photograph people. It's a problem.

Dinner:
Worried that the gelaterias would close by the time we were done with dinner, we stopped quickly at one that claimed to be holder of some prestigious gelato competition title. Who can argue with that? Nocciola (hazlenut) of course. Good choice.
Then to Ristorante Bel Soggiono for dinner. Artichoke salad, vegetable risotto, local wine. All pretty good, although I would have been equally as happy with one more gelato instead. The dessert claimed to be cheesecake, and was good, but I know cheesecake, and this, sir, is no cheesecake. They don't even have philly cream cheese here! But it was good nonetheless. It tasted exactly like clotted cream.

Got lost on the way home and absolutely car sick. Glad to be back. Now need to sleep.
Buonanotte.