Big news at the end of week two

Monday.

We took the 12:20 train to Asciano where Patti Bechi met us and took us to their home about 7 kms outside of town in the beautiful “clay hills” (crete) and about 25 kms southeast of Siena. Patti had prepared lunch and we spent the afternoon talking about a number of things, although we focused most of our conversation on the ongoing video project.

We also spent some time going over a couple of the tape transcripts, which she is finalizing and we also discussed the possibility of adding several more interviews. Susan had brought along one of her teddy bears and spent the afternoon working on that. Meanwhile their youngest child Michele, who had worked very hard at playing after we arrived too a much needed rest and slept most of the afternoon.

At about half past 4 Patti and I headed into Asciano, leaving Susan to stitch and watch Michele. Patti had left her daughter Francesca at a friend’s house for the afternoon and picked her up and then after a couple of quick errand stops headed to the dentist. I was in first and out in probably four minutes ready to get back into the eating game. Impressively high tech equipment and just made me wonder how different are the dental practices in Italy than in the US. Anyway, Francesca then went in for her first meeting with the orthodontist and then Patti had her teeth cleaned so it was sort of a one-stop dentist day all around. We then headed back to their house to pick Susan up and by that time Roberto had come home. We said a quick hello to him and he took us both back into town so we could catch the train to Siena. We then took the bus from the station into town and went to the Cantina in Piazza where Aimone gave us each a plate of his wife’s pasta and homemade ragu, washed down with a glass of Montefeltro wine (barbera-syrah grapes). Sue and I then went to our gelato hangout where you can sit out on a balcony overlooking the Piazza del Campo.

We had a pretty good day all around, I’d say, although we’re still no nearer a decision about the future. So be it.

Wednesday.

Well today is a repeat of yesterday at least as far as the weather goes. We woke up to serious fog both mornings, and which did not burn off for most of the morning and even then we got very little in the way of blue sky.

We had an interesting meeting with a local real estate broker, Sr. Lucarelli. His office is located very close to where we are renting and he had some interesting properties for sale. Anyway he was very kind and helpful, of sorts. It is clear that living in the historic center of Siena, or even close for that matter, is out of the question. The prices are astronomical, running upwards to 5,000-10,000 euros per square meter. But it was good for us to talk with someone who could give us clear and down-to-earth information.

Last night we experienced one of the real disadvantages of living inside the city walls – and made us further realize our money is better spent on a more tranquil location. Not far from where we are staying is the Piazza Mercato, in fact it is located directly behind the Siena city hall, which fronts the Piazza del Campo. Well beginning about 9 or 10 last evening (Tuesday) there was a rock band playing there and the noise was most annoying to say the least. Odd we thought. Why not have this in the soccer stadium at the other end of the city but of course that would be too close to the larger hotels. Well I think you get the drift here.

But this is probably just another indicator of how the Italians spoil their young – indeed one cannot help but fell during the evening passegiata or anytime certainly after dark that the young, and we’re talking about teenagers here, are oblivious to anyone else or anything else but their own immediate need and gratification. Not unlike teenagers everywhere else I suppose, at least in the West.

Thursday was a very BIG DAY for us but for Susan in particular. It turned out to be a beautiful day after the fog burnt off and we took the bus to Florence where we revisited Apicius, the Culinary School of Florence and where Susan enrolled for the next semester's professional baking and pastry program. Now we have to make work of getting a student visa and looking for an apartment in Florence for next year. I will commute on the bus/train to Siena as needed next year to work on finishing the video project. In the meantime we are enjoying Siena immensely and do not look forward to the move north but the opportunities are there I’m afraid.

We then strolled over the Santa Croce to pay our respects to the tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli and Rossini. Strolling through the Piazza della Signoria we came across a pretty interesting and oddly coincidental art display – statues of cows, which had been painted by various artists, much like what they have been doing in Vermont now for some years. Who knows who got the idea from whom but it was actually pretty cool.

Anyway Friday was another gorgeous sunny day with temps still in the 70s. Another night to cook at home – Thursday evening we ended up having soup and antipasti at Cantina in Piazza and had an impromptu tasting of locally produced digestive, most made from a variety of herbs. We hope to get out to Osteria Castelvecchio near where our old language school is located this Saturday. We had lunch there this past winter and it was very good so we thought we’d give it a try for dinner.