2016 Day 04: San Gimignano E Siena (Province of Siena (SI), Toscana) (Tue 23 Aug 2016) Photo Gallery by Alan K at pbase.com

2016 Day 04: San Gimignano E Siena (Province of Siena (SI), Toscana) (Tue 23 Aug 2016)

On the first full day of our stay in Toscana (Tuscany) we visited two towns.

San Gimignano, which I knew very little about at the time, is a medieval hilltop township just shy of 8,000 people.

Siena, which I was quite familiar with, is another hilltop town but one which dates back to Etruscan times and has just shy of 58,000 people.

Before we set out I was really looking forward to Siena and thought San Gimwho?

After the trip I regretted all the shots of Siena that I didn't take, but have no plans to ever return there. It's the only town or city in Italy that I felt an unfriendly vibe from. Even Milano was more affable. (Actually Milano was quite affable contrary to its "time is money" reputation. Siena for the most part simply wasn't.)

But I loved San Gimignano and its people. I have no idea at all how on earth I'll ever do it, but I do want to go back there some day. We saw so many things in the four weeks of our trip that my memory of them has become unreliable in parts. But I do remember standing on fortified stone walls that have stood for hundreds of years, looking across a valley that hundreds or thousands before me would once have kept watch on, not as tourists but as guardians. I remember the feel of it more than even the sight of it.

160823_090643_0334 San Gimignano, From A Distance	160823_093148_0340 Beaming On The Vineyards Beaming On The Vineyards	160823_093326_0342 At The Gate	20160823_015445 The Wall
20160823_015447 Needs Mowing	20160823_015448 Up Via San Gimignano	20160823_015450 And Down Another Street	20160823_015453 The Tower In The Square
20160823_015454 One Tower	20160823_015455_015458 View Across The Valley I	20160823_015459_015463 View Across The Valley II	20160823_015464 Crowning The Towers
20160823_015467 A View Of The Village And The Valley Below	20160823_015470_HDR Through The Gate Beyond	20160823_015473 Between Sunlight and Shadow; Washing Day	20160823_015474 The Halo Effect I
20160823_015475 On Street Parking	20160823_015476 Towards The One Tower House	20160823_015477 Towards The Two Tower Houses, Plural	20160823_015478 Towards The Three Tower Houses, And Quick, Take Our Picture
20160823_015479 Postal Telegraphy	20160823_015481 The Halo Effect II	20160823_015483 No Idea	20160823_015484 It Wouldn't Be A Medieval Village Without...
20160823_015485 The Old Tastes Of Tuscany, €3	20160823_015486 Not All Of Them Are Mounted To The Wall	20160823_015488_015489 A Parting Shot	20160823_015490 The Duomo, The Tower Of The Duomo, And Reflections On Siena
20160823_015491 Beaming On The Tower, After Lunch	20160823_015492 Not Leaning, Just Wide Angled	20160823_015493 Navigation In The Piazza	20160823_015495 The Circles Of Gaia
20160823_015496 What Does A Wolf Have To Do To Get Some Respect Around Here?	20160823_015500 Sun Over the Palazzo Pubblico	20160823_015501_HDR Nel Cortile I (In The Courtyard)	20160823_015502_HDR Nel Cortile II
20160823_015503_015504_HDR Un Altro Cortile (Yet Another Courtyard)	20160823_015508_015509_HDR And One More Still	20160823_015512 Sunny Like The Wolf	20160823_015513 A Divergence Of Styles
20160823_015514 That Bloody Cat...	20160823_015516 On The Piazza Del Conte	20160823_015517 No Entry To The Intersection	20160823_015518 Intersection Of Themes
20160823_015519 A Wide View Of The Duomo	20160823_015520 Are You Getting My Best Side?	20160823_015522 The Clock Does Stop

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