Northern Tour- Day 2

We spent the first night of our tour in a modest hotel in Siena and awoke early this morning for our tour with Ezio. I had been looking forward to this return since we had come here for the Palio in mid-August. This enchanting city has quickly won the hearts of the entire group. According to legend, Siena was settled by Senus, son of Remus, twin brother of Romulus, the mythological founder of Rome. It played a significant role in the history of Italy especially in Medieval times, for its convenient position along the pilgrimage road called Francigena, in the middle of a hilly landscape called Crete. Its buildings and lanscapes, as well as traditions such as the Palio di Siena, are still very much unchanged since Medievel times, and its strong sense of community ties and responsibilities has led to the city being able to boast the lowest crime rates and the lowest drug addiction rates in the entire country. Luckily, since we got to see the Palio a month ago, we were able to see these community ties at their fullest and experience the true spirit of Siena rather than the small glimpse the average tourist take away on any other given day. Thus far, if I were able to choose any place to live in Italy for the rest of my life, it would be a close tie between Siena and some more remote coastal/mountain region.

a small side street in Siena I went to to draw, 

it was surprisingly peaceful, the only sounds coming

from small birds chirping above me.  

In the late afternoon/evening we had plenty of free time to use as we pleased. After a short nap I ventured out by myself to explore around the town and perhapsdo a little more shopping for special treasures to bring back home to family and friends. After much searching and deliberation with myself I finally picked out 2 beautiful cashmere and silk scarves and a cranberry colored wool fedora hat for myself. Together with my other purchases of the day, as well as what I bought yesterday, I have already spent an alarming amount of money so early in the trip, though I don't regret a single purchase and am rather pleased with my wares.

At night I go out to get something to eat and on the way pass by an old man begging on the street. I am always torn in these situations because I don't really like just giving money to people when I don't really know what they are going to use that money to buy. And though I would really like to help them out in any way I can, I also must realize that I don't have the resources or the money to help every begger I see. I turn back around anyways and go to ask the man (in Italian of course) what he would like to eat, be it some pizza, a sandwich, pasta or something like that. He tells me that he would simply like a piece of some cheese pizza, which I am happy to oblidge, for I was just going to get some myself. I leave him there and go to this pizza place that has some truly excellent pizza that I had tried the night before that is much like the American style pan pizza, only better. I get a slice pizza margherita (cheese with tomato sauce) for him and a slice for me with salami piccante (like pepperoni, but bigger and spicey-er), which wipes me out of all the money I had brought with me for dinner. Heading back, I inevitably get lost amoung the darkened streets and by the time I find my way back to where the man was standing, the pizza is barely still warm. We sit down together on the side of the street to eat our pizza and we talk about life and what I'm doing in Siena and such. I am rather disappointed when I learn that he doesn't much like the pizza I got because he has a hard time digesting the bread of the thicker crust this pizza has on it, though he is still rather pleased that I got it for him and am keeping him some company for dinner. Though I am sorry that I can't do more for him, I am glad to see in his eyes the spark of joy he got from someone reaching out and treating him with dignity and respect. I am sad to think of how much he reminds me of my own poor Granny and Grandpa and the hardships that they have gone through with their living situation. I can only hope and pray that this man finds happiness and blessings for the rest of his life, for surely he doesn't deserve having to endure such pain and hunger living here on the streets, he is just as good a person as you and I.

When I get back to the hotel, I turn on BBC World News and hear of nothing but economic crisis-es sweeping the American, and in turn, World, economy. 

Don't I know it.