My parents fly back to New York today. They’ve been here three weeks, and I feel like we are finding our groove. But it will be nice to be just the four of us again. I think this trip has helped me appreciate our family time more than ever. We spend so much time together that we really know one another really well now. It’s cool, and I want to find a way to keep that after we return home.

//Stefan Notes: Sweet girl keeping the espace nice

Everyone is moving this morning. Cleaning dishes, packing, cleaning out the car and organizing things. Lillian even goes out to clean the car (turns out she’s just rubbing dirt around, but it’s definitely the thought that counts). It’s a good cleanup time with everyone pitching in. Well, except the kids who are enamored with every old toy they find. Thus, everything but the living room floor is clean, but it’s too sweet to be upset about.

We make colored bow-tie pasta the kids bought at a winery for lunch. And some seasoning mix my mom bought. It’s all just alright. But we love cramming around the small kitchen table to eat together. There’s obviously a lot to do because my parents are leaving, but the day still has a relaxed vibe. We just hang out enjoying each other’s company. 

There’s one last water balloon fight with the remaining balloons. They pretty much just chase me around the yard until I’m soaked.

The kids play in the kiddie pool while we are loading the car, so when my parents say goodbye they are adequately distracted. It’s very strange to say goodbye when it feels like I’ll see them tomorrow. They drive back to Milan for their flight out tomorrow morning.

Debbie and I have to leave today.  Our flight is 10:20 in the morning out of Milan so we need to make the four hour drive up to Milan today.  It’s pretty tough to be leaving the kids and grandkids, but what a wonderfully unique experience to spend three weeks together.  We all lived together a couple of times in New York City, but it takes a special daughter and son-in-law to include us in their travels. (A very special son-in-law to put up with having me along for three weeks.)

We got four uniquely different experiences in Lyon, Turin, Barolo and Poggibonsi.  As bonuses we drove through the Alps, lunched in Geneva, had waffles in Chamonix and took our pictures with the Leaning Tower of Pisa.  And this was just three weeks of the kids’ four month adventure.  It’s an experience that will be tough to top. I will not be able to add my “Grandpa Notes” to Kimberly’s blogs after today.   

[AND BACK TO ME]

The kids play for another ten minutes, and then we load up the car for Siena! Stefan and I haven’t been yet (the kids went with my parents Day 66) and even though it’s Sunday, when most things have been closed from our experience, Stefan thinks today’s the day. Another one of his gut feelings. So off we go.

The drive to Siena is way easier than our drives into Florence. In fact, because much of the driving is on the freeway, it’s easier than every drive we’ve done this week. We find a good parking spot and walk beyond huge city walls into the city. Directly in front of us is the Church of Saint Catherine. It’s large but without the impressive facades we’ve seen lately.

The inside is disproportionately tall. And while the ceiling is plane and flat, the stain-glassed windows are spectacular. They are more modern than what I’ve seen before, and I love them. The most interesting aspect of this church, though, is that it has a relic dating back to 1300s: the head of St. Catherine. Yes, there’s a face in a box staring at you. Okay, she doesn’t have her eyes anymore, but it’s really crazy. The relic is surrounded by frescoes depicting her strong relationship to Jesus and May and her miracles. It’s very interesting, and it’s fun to talk to Lilian about these things because she is so curious. Nearby is a few other things from her life, including … her thumb. Yep, her thumb. I have no idea how they keep these things, but it’s amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it.

As we walk down the beautiful narrow streets of the old town, Stefan points out a wine shop that only sells Brunello, an Italian wine we haven’t had on our trip and we don’t know much about. So we go in. The owner, Federico, is super nice and pours us a taste of a Brunello he opened earlier for a tasting. It’s so very good. Brunello comes from a town Montalcino just twenty minutes south of Siena and is made of 100% Sangiovese. Chianti Classico has at least 80% Sangiovese in it, but it’s significantly lighter and less interesting than this Brunello. Stefan is excited to select a couple bottles, one of which we will open tomorrow on his birthday!

Walking further into the city, we begin to see groups of people swinging flags and singing songs. The Palio horse race that takes place twice a year is in two days, but we hadn’t realized the festivities had already begun! The bands and costumed paraders entertained us as we walked around the old town.

//Stefan Note: ooh wooeth mee

Siena is beautiful, and what I see of it makes me want to return. That’s a great feeling to get from a city. We walk to the Duomo, which is beautiful and a similar facade to the one in Florence. I am told we cannot enter the church at this moment “because of the procession”. I have no idea what that really means, but we wait with the hope something cool will happen.

After 10 minutes or so the doors open, and people flood inside. The center is cordoned off, and crowds gather against a barrier to look at the center aisle. Nothing is there yet, but it obviously will be soon. It’s great to have stumbled upon something other people find interesting (we don’t know yet), but it’s disappointing that we can’t really take in the entire church. What we do see is incredible. The columns are ringed black and white. And there are heads of church leaders peering down at the center aisle. I’d recommend making the visit because it’s unique and grand.

Finally the three priests walk out and open the center door, welcoming a slow parade of people wearing flags representing different sects within the community. Each group carries something that looks like a scroll, sometimes with flowers. I feel like we don’t understand what’s really going on here, but we watch. Halfway through the procession, we go outside.

Lillian is starting to fall apart on us (hungry and needs to pee), so we search for a place to sit and snack. As we walk we see another procession, this one with oxen, a carriage and several knights! This is definitely a highlight.

It takes a bit of fighting crowds, but we finally find a place to sit down. La Vecchia Taverna di Bacco feels a little like a tourist trap at first, but they serve food before 7pm. Done. Oly orders gnocchi, and Lillian has spaghetti carbonara. They are both solid. Stefan and I pick on their plates and also share osso buco. It is so tasty. We’re on a side street, so the kids play safely near us. And our table is situated between two streets with parades, so there is constant noise and entertainment. It’s great.

We walk to the Piazza del Campo, the center of all town activity and where the horse race will be in two days. The dirt track and old wooden stands are already in place around the square. The place is completely packed. And for some reason (maybe the three Campari spritzes he had at dinner) he wants to join the madness. We park the stroller and hope it’s still there when we return.

//Stefan Note: its really cool, this is where they filmed that james bond shootin sequence after they shoot M

The stands are full as well as the center of the square. It’s clear something is happening. We take a few pictures and realize that if we don’t leave soon we could somehow get stuck or flushed out the wrong side of the square. We barely get through as they close the gates to the street we walked down. Phew! They are having a trial for the race now!

We can’t see much from here, so we decide to just head home. But first we have to get gelato. Oly and Lillian pick their favorite, lemon and strawberry. We mosey back to the car eating our treats.

We pass a large screen in a small square and later a tv screen in a shop broadcasting the trial. The kids love watching it.

Then we drive home. We call grandma and grandpa to make sure they made it to Milan. I barely get to say a word because Lillian and Oly chat up grandpa like teenagers! Finally home and again playing with forgotten toys, the house is quiet and peaceful (sorry grandma and grandpa). We read an old favorite from Stefan’s childhood, Follow the Zookeeper, and head to bed.