We went into Siena early on Sunday morning – but not early enough. Just as we arrived at the Duomo at 8.45am we noticed the congregation departing. The next services were at 11.00 and 12.00. Never mind, we’ll have coffee and a pastry while we wait. Actually, Siena is quite delightful at this time on a Sunday morning – almost deserted so we can stroll about and take in the architecture and streetscapes that are often unnoticed when you’re weaving in and out of tourist traffic.
Getting into the Duomo just before 11.00 isn’t all that straightforward. I do understand that they need to keep the marauding tourists out for a time so that worshipers are not disturbed but they are a little more zealous in their task than I would like. It is always interesting worshipping when you understand very little of the language. It throws the responsibility back onto you to worship God regardless – it takes some effort but it can be inspiring. So often in these ancient churches in Europe, the sense of worshippers meeting in this place for centuries is tangible and so it was for me on Sunday.
Then in the evening it was the medieval banquet in our local town of Colle Val d’Elsa. The square outside the main church was set up for a served dinner for about 250 people. It was fabulous. White linen table cloths, fresh flowers and ivy decorating the tables, all the tableware was terracotta including the wine beakers. The day had been around 32deg and the evening was balmy. It was a fabulous menu of about 10 courses – beautiful food. There was one other non-italian speaker – an American whose fiancée comes from Colle but otherwise it was a very local celebration – albeit of success in a battle in 1269 – some people clearly have longer memories than I – I can scarcely remember what happened last week!! We did manage to find out from our companions at dinner that Australia had just lost their match against Brazil but the consensus was that they had played surprisingly well – maybe expectations were surprisingly low.
Everytime we come to Italy I find a ruin I would love to restore. There is a farm house across the road and up a track from our house that has clearly been empty for quite some time – maybe 50 years. Most of the roof is still in place. The ground floor of the main house is open plan with arches right through. Would make a fabulous kitchen/dining/living space. Phil is not entirely convinced. On another walk we come across a palazzo (large house) about 2kms from here which has recently been bought by an American. She clearly has the support of her husband because she is restoring the whole property which includes stables, workers’ cottages and gardens and plans to sell it off as timeshares. She is restoring the chapel and the adjacent buildings for functions(??) I wish her luck. It is a fabulous property but she had about 5 blokes working on it the day we walked through and at the rate they were working it’ll take about 100 years before the first person can move in. They were very nice blokes – just not in any hurry.
There is just one type of poisonous snake in the whole of Italy and we have seen 5 of them in the past month – more than I have seen in Oz in a whole lifetime even though we have 20 of the world’s 25 most deadly creatures. As a precaution I am pulling my socks up higher when we go walking. Christy/Andy, is there any research evidence to indicate that Italian snakes can’t bite through hiking sox?
I have an ongoing love affair with English newspapers. The best of their writers are tops. A weekend Times has enough reading to last me the whole week – although this week it has been the Guardian. An article that caught my attention was titled – The Prison Trick – you can probably read it online – 17 June. It described the formation of ‘Circles of Support” for ex- offenders on release. It is a Canadian concept which has been operating in the UK for the past 4 years. Basically, an ex- prisoner is supported by 6 people. One of them meets him/her each day of the week to check how they are doing and give whatever help is needed. Then on the 7th day they all get together for a meal. For many ex- prisoners, this is the first time in their lives they have been part of a caring community. The research on the effects of this program are extremely impressive – the rates of re-offending are very low even though they are high risk, high need offenders – and all the members of the Circle of Support are volunteers. Do we have something like this in Oz?? I must find out.
Tomorrow we are back Siena – Phil has discovered there are a couple of churches we haven’t visited + a gallery and a tower to climb. He is tempting me with coffee and a pastry at Nannini’s and lunch at Papei’s so how can I refuse. We’ll have to have an early start – it was 37 deg at 3pm today.
It is also my Christy’s 32nd birthday today. She is a very special lady. Have a happy day honeybunch.
Getting into the Duomo just before 11.00 isn’t all that straightforward. I do understand that they need to keep the marauding tourists out for a time so that worshipers are not disturbed but they are a little more zealous in their task than I would like. It is always interesting worshipping when you understand very little of the language. It throws the responsibility back onto you to worship God regardless – it takes some effort but it can be inspiring. So often in these ancient churches in Europe, the sense of worshippers meeting in this place for centuries is tangible and so it was for me on Sunday.
Then in the evening it was the medieval banquet in our local town of Colle Val d’Elsa. The square outside the main church was set up for a served dinner for about 250 people. It was fabulous. White linen table cloths, fresh flowers and ivy decorating the tables, all the tableware was terracotta including the wine beakers. The day had been around 32deg and the evening was balmy. It was a fabulous menu of about 10 courses – beautiful food. There was one other non-italian speaker – an American whose fiancée comes from Colle but otherwise it was a very local celebration – albeit of success in a battle in 1269 – some people clearly have longer memories than I – I can scarcely remember what happened last week!! We did manage to find out from our companions at dinner that Australia had just lost their match against Brazil but the consensus was that they had played surprisingly well – maybe expectations were surprisingly low.
Everytime we come to Italy I find a ruin I would love to restore. There is a farm house across the road and up a track from our house that has clearly been empty for quite some time – maybe 50 years. Most of the roof is still in place. The ground floor of the main house is open plan with arches right through. Would make a fabulous kitchen/dining/living space. Phil is not entirely convinced. On another walk we come across a palazzo (large house) about 2kms from here which has recently been bought by an American. She clearly has the support of her husband because she is restoring the whole property which includes stables, workers’ cottages and gardens and plans to sell it off as timeshares. She is restoring the chapel and the adjacent buildings for functions(??) I wish her luck. It is a fabulous property but she had about 5 blokes working on it the day we walked through and at the rate they were working it’ll take about 100 years before the first person can move in. They were very nice blokes – just not in any hurry.
There is just one type of poisonous snake in the whole of Italy and we have seen 5 of them in the past month – more than I have seen in Oz in a whole lifetime even though we have 20 of the world’s 25 most deadly creatures. As a precaution I am pulling my socks up higher when we go walking. Christy/Andy, is there any research evidence to indicate that Italian snakes can’t bite through hiking sox?
I have an ongoing love affair with English newspapers. The best of their writers are tops. A weekend Times has enough reading to last me the whole week – although this week it has been the Guardian. An article that caught my attention was titled – The Prison Trick – you can probably read it online – 17 June. It described the formation of ‘Circles of Support” for ex- offenders on release. It is a Canadian concept which has been operating in the UK for the past 4 years. Basically, an ex- prisoner is supported by 6 people. One of them meets him/her each day of the week to check how they are doing and give whatever help is needed. Then on the 7th day they all get together for a meal. For many ex- prisoners, this is the first time in their lives they have been part of a caring community. The research on the effects of this program are extremely impressive – the rates of re-offending are very low even though they are high risk, high need offenders – and all the members of the Circle of Support are volunteers. Do we have something like this in Oz?? I must find out.
Tomorrow we are back Siena – Phil has discovered there are a couple of churches we haven’t visited + a gallery and a tower to climb. He is tempting me with coffee and a pastry at Nannini’s and lunch at Papei’s so how can I refuse. We’ll have to have an early start – it was 37 deg at 3pm today.
It is also my Christy’s 32nd birthday today. She is a very special lady. Have a happy day honeybunch.
