I left Florence in the morning and took the bus to Siena because it was faster that way and cheaper too. My plans for Siena was pretty last minute so finding a place was pretty difficult..I booked a hotel that was recommended by one of the many ones that I had called but was full. When I called to booked..she had told me that the place is close to the town center so I thought ok..cool..that would work! So i get to Siena and didn't really have anything or really knew how to get to where I was suppose to be so I went to the Jolly Hotel across the street and asked her for a map and how to get to my place..she was nice enough to direct me in the right direction..so i am trotting along on the main street...I pass the main square- il Campo- and thought ok..Athena should be coming up soon...well it didn't...and so i am walking..walking..walking..rolling hills...cobblestones with my big ol backpack..I still dont see it...I am almost at the end of the main street now AND then...two hills away..I see a sign that read Athena..and I am thinking..oh no no no...I dont think so! Girlfriend over here is not going to trek all this way back and forth every time I want to go to town and back to my place to rest and hang out...to give you a little perspective..its like saying Stonestown is the city center...and Athena was over by Sava Pool..!! That is not by the center! Plus I wasn't sure how itd be at night either...taxis are scarce and big city buses aren't allowed...so I turned around..walked back to Il Campo where I knew that there was a tourist office and asked the lady if she can help me find a cheap single room for 1 night..hoping that it wasnt in like Timbuktu or something!! And she did!! She found me a single room in a home of a womans..I thought..whatever..it works and its a place to stay for the night. When I got there (5 minutes away)..I was pleasantly surprised!! The place was very homey feeling and very nice. It was actually on a floor of a villa that the woman lives in. It had four or five other rooms as well and a bathroom at the end of the hallway! Each room was named a flower..my room was named Tulip!! Perfect..my favorite! The room looks like it came out of an Anthropologie catalog..and I had view of the hills of Siena..and for half the price of what I would have paid at Athena!! Good thing I gave Athena an expired cc number to hold my reservation =).
Siena was nice..a complete college town..the main square is the place to be..most of the time people are just sitting there soaking in the sun and people watching. kids are chasing pigeons cafes surrounding the square..that was Siena. I went to the Duomo there and climbed the tower to see the view of Siena..that was enough touristy stuff for me..I just wanted to hang out! My second day in Siena..I met a gal named Kate from Quebec City. We were both taking the tour of Chiati in the Tuscany Valley..and went wine tasting as well! We had dinner together before I had to leave for my night bus to Naples where I would connect to Sorrento. Oh so here's a funny story..I wake up in Siena after spending the night and I wanted to do my laundry again..since it was close by. I am in there and laundry woman (this grandma) just opened the place..she could tell that I am a tourist..so she was making sure that I knew what i was doing. I had to put coins in for tokens so I figured that part out and she was watching me and talking to me in Italian the whole time. i needed detergent and it cost .80 euros..so i was going to be a 1 euro coin in because that's all I had. But she wouldn't let me and she was saying something to me in italian..and every time I wanted to put it in..she would pull my hand away...and then i figured out that she was trying to tell me that i wont get change back so she didnt want me to waste the .20 euro haha. I tried to tell her that it was all I had..she even had me pour all my coins out in which i did...she finally let me put in my 1 euro coin..i got my detergent but no change..and she said..said something in Italian which I am assuming its in the same nature as ...see....haha. That whole thing went on for about 15 minutes haha..it was cute. She was really nice.
Siena- Italy's college town..
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