We left Lucca this morning, heading for Siena. On the way we stopped at the Florence American Cemetary which is the resting place for 4,392 American soldiers who died in WWII in Italy.

It’s a striking site, beautifully kept and orderly. On a wall are carved the names and ranks of the fallen. It reminded me of the WWI Commonwealth cemetaries like Tyne Cot.

Castillina in Chianti is a charming town of about 3,000 that was the site of many medieval battles because of its location between Florence and Siena. Our group member Debbie mugged for the camera in front of the Church of San Salvatore before our walk down picturesque lanes and before the drama of this little village almost got the better of Gillian.

Fortunately lunch restored us all to good form. There was an amazing appetizer platter for every four people, and wine on demand! We have been challenged in this group of three Deborahs, two Donnas and a Denise. I’m not sure this lunch helped us keep everyone straight!

Our ride to Siena, as you can imagine, passsed quickly. Siena is absolutely lovely! The medievel centre is well preserved with little lanes leading this way and that. It’s very hilly so lots of steep grades and steps to navigate.

A special treat this afternoon was a visit to the Siena Cathedral. Impressive from the outside and even more so inside.

The Cathedral was built between 1215 and 1263. The stripes are a Moorish influence. The amazing marble inland floor is covered for 11 months of the year when the Cathedral is used for services, and uncovered in September. How great was our timing! A side room that had been closed for 500 years (!) was completely covered with fabulous frescoes. Because it had been closed, the colours remain vibrant to this day. (Last two photos of the slide show below.)

Original statues are stored in a nearby building. Erosion had begun so the statues were replaced by copies. The lights are kept low for further protection. The effect is quite impressive.

We are scheduled for a field trip tomorrow. Fino ad allora …