Siena

4-10-2009

I spent today in Siena. Siena is a small town just 15 minutes from Bibbiano. Siena is home of the Palio, a famous horse race in Italy. Federico arrived last night and said he had to go to Siena today, so Camilla told me I should go with him and see the town. I have been to Siena once before, and I was definitely up for another visit. So, this morning we drove to Siena and I spent the day wandering the narrow streets taking photos. I’m tired of trying to take nice photos. I just want to take stupid tourist photos, so mostly I just take stupid tourist photos. I’m always depressed when I get home and upload my pics. Digital photography has made it possible for me to take 150 pictures of CRAP.

Anyway, of course Siena is beautiful and so was the day. It was very warm and sunny and there were a lot of tourists. I basked in the sun at Il Campo the main town square and roamed around looking in all the shops. The shopping was good, but I thought the prices were a lot higher than in Rome. I went to an Internet café and watched BBC news. There was a terrible earthquake in l’Aquila this week and almost 300 people died. Federico told me he felt tremors in Rome. This town is not that far from Rome. I also read some American news. I wonder what it’s going to be like to return to the US and have Obama for a president. I really haven’t been following the news at all, but I did see Michelle Obama on the cover of Vogue recently. ☺

At the end of the day, I met Federico and we drove back to Bibbiano. It’s nice to talk to Federico for a change. He told me that in the 13th and 14th centuries Florence and Siena bordered each other and were at war. He pointed out the old border on the way home and showed me a very old walled village in Siena called Monteriggioni that Florence once attacked. He said that people still live in this village today. I know nothing about the history of Italy.

Federico also explained to me how they harvest the olives and grapes. He said that they don’t have the machine to make the olive oil in Bibbiano. When the olives are ready, they hire people to pick them from the trees (a very tedious task I gather) and then they take all the olives elsewhere to make the oil. The grapes are harvested in Bibbiano in September and October. They are collected and put into a giant machine that heats and stirs the grapes. The skins and seeds float to the top and the container must be stirred because if not the skin of the grapes will create a cap and no oxygen will reach the wine. This will cause the wine to turn to vinegar. Then the juice is stored for 2 years in barrels before it is bottled. Some of the not so good juice is used to make vinegar. Then he showed me a very old vineyard that his grandfather planted 50 years ago. He said this vineyard was quite incredible because usually the vines only live for 30 to 40 years, but these vines are still thriving. He also showed me where they are planting new vines.

Federico went grocery shopping today and cooked dinner. I feel guilty for writing that he can’t handle domestic chores. He is such a nice person and he just works a lot. The poor guy is tired. Tonight he cooked sea bass in the most interesting way. He did not fillet the fish. He poured sea salt (the large granules) over tin foil covering the bottom of the pan (cookie sheet). Then he laid the entire fish on top of the salt and covered the entire rest of the fish with the salt too. He then put the fish in the oven for 30 minutes at 150 degrees Celsius. The salt creates a crust over the fish once it has cooked. You can really taste the natural flavor of the fish this way. Both Camilla and Federico say this is a fantastic and easy way to prepare fish. I have noticed that it is common in Italy to fillet the fish after it has been cooked.

Today, for the first time, I felt envious of Federico and Camilla. I have always loved the way they live, but I really haven’t envied them. Tuscany is just so pretty and everything is so charming. It’s starting to be very dazzling. The nonna’s house, the winery, olive groves in the back yard, peonies on the kitchen table … Today I thought when Nick and I retire, we can buy a farm house in Tuscany and restore the place. Wouldn’t that be the most exciting way to spend your oldest years?