Before my afternoon pause, I visited the Duomo of Siena. The Duomo sits in grandeur like a giant stone zebra upon the highest point in Siena; the city contained small hills and a culminating hike to it's most prized structure. I stood in awe once inside the ancient cathedral, gazing at the magnificent stained glass, stone buffs, and intricate floor mosaics. I laughed to myself, realizing my jealousy of locals calling the cathedral their own church and attending services regularly.
Later that evening, the bed & breakfast I stayed in recommended a small restaurant around the corner called Osteria La Chiocciola which means "The Snail Tavern". I had finally found it, an authentic Italian dinner. I knew the moment I walked in, mostly because there were only three tables in the restaurant and there was absolutely no English on the menu. I had to ask what most of it meant, but I decided to have a try at the tripe. Tripe is a famous dish in Italy, made from the stomach linings of cows. As gross as it sounds, I decided that while transitioning into an adventurer by choosing to study abroad, I would also embody the pallet of an adventurer. It turned out to be excellent, tasting just like sausage. The texture of the dish was a little funky, almost like rubber, but I ate my entire plate proudly and hungrily.
After having a night out on the town and making new friends with the girls from my trip, the next morning we decided to tour the renowned hospital next to the Duomo. The hospital is supposedly the oldest in Europe, dating back to the eighth century where it was used by Etruscans. The building extends on and on into the ground, counting the three floors above ground on the top, I think I counted the structure was 11 floors deep! The museum of the hospital was full of history and ancient artifacts, I stayed their for most of the morning touching up on my ancient and not so ancient history.
From learning about the summer horse racing and old history of the city upon the hill, to surrounding myself in the Piazza del Campo with the culture of Tuscan Italians, I'd like to think that I perfected my short trip to Siena. I didn't miss a beat, and certainly won't miss an opportunity to return (for only eight Euro by bus!).
La città bellissima!
