Stopped to buy sunglasses and lost the group. Walked around with two others for a little bit. They had been to Siena earlier last week so they knew how to get to the duomo.
And there was a couple paying music outside the duomo! One playing accordion and one playing the dulcimer!
Got to the duomo, the instructors forgot they had to purchase tickets for entrance, so if we wanted to go in, we bought our own for 3 euro. The duomo was beautiful. Definitely my favourite one so far, probably because of the stripes on pretty much every inch of it.
Gelato!
Me and my roommate, Jessica!
In the gift shop, I bought a commedia calendar and two postcards. I had taken so long that I think everyone had pretty much left, but I found Joey, so we walked around town a little. Got gelato and espresso and walked around some more. Met everyone else at the Piazza del Campo and went into the Palazzo Pubblico with all the art history students including my new friend Torey.
A little history about the Palazzo Pubblico they gave us in a hand-out:
‘Its construction began in 1297 and its original purpose was to house the republican government, consisting of the Podesta and the Council of Nine. The most famous of the secular frescoes painted in the palace are three panels in the series on government in the Hall of the Nine by Ambrogio Lorenzetti and the Maesta by Simone Martini.’
It was pretty in there too. There was even a couple getting married in one room. Not a big ceremony, but more like if you were to go to city hall to get married in a cute little room with lovely decorations and a harpist. Before we left town, I bought an Italia pin and an ‘I heart Italy’ shirt.
On the way back to the bus, it started raining! We got back to the bus and rode home just in time, all the while I entertained the sickly and ill-feeling with my wonderful humour. The bus rides have been a little car-sick-encouraging, so it helped everyone, I think. At least, the people who weren’t sleeping.
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