Early start this morning or at least it felt like it. We looked over the views of Florence from the same location we visited last night and had some great panoramic views. I don’t know whether it was the previous evening or the fact that this was the last day but the bus was subdued on its way to Sienna.

Last panoramic views over Florence

This is where the famous bare backed horse race happens.  It’s like the Melbourne cup on Steroids. They take three months to prepare the jockeys and your horse is drawn out of a hat.  The horses are blessed in a church and if they leave fertilizer, it is good luck for the people.  The riders are given sticks to whip the horses and the other riders and they race three times around the square which is shell shaped.  They put sand over the stone square and they ride bare back.

Pretty safe really(not), and the prize, a painted flag(whoopee). It something I think that was dreamt up during a night out on the grog and should have been forgotten in the morning. However, being Italy it is an annual event with great passion and rivalry.

The racetrack in Sienna

This town is famous for its banking industry.  Like all banks it was bailed out in the global financial crisis.  I noticed something else about this about this town; it had a predominance of bald headed men.  I have thought hard and long about this and I can come to no reasonable explanation as to why they would all congregate in a walled city like this.  The other thing that is interesting about this town is that if you build you had to use the one colour and type of brick.  It is called Sienna red.  I wonder if the Mayor owned a brick factory??

Some more views of the cityscape of Sienna

I hope I look as stylish as this guy at his age

After this we drove to Roma for our last night together as a group.  We had a meal in the Marriott with great views over the city landscape.

We enjoyed the company of the other travellers and especially the guidance and effort afforded us by tour director Maria and our driver Alfredo who can drive a bus on road that should be good for a little Fiat let alone buses.

Just a foot note.  The internet in the hotels is dreadful so I apologize for the intermittent posting.  We have a package on the boat which means I should be able to upload all the postings I have written but not uploaded.

Ciao