Panicale to Firenze to Marsciano

We bade a fond farewell to our little villa, where the hosts could not have done enough for us, even to the extent of removing the white paint from our hire car, that some car-parker at Assisi had left for us. Onwards to Sienna, where we stopped for a gander and lunch. There were just too many people for our liking, but the lunch was deliciosa. 

We arrived in Firenze around 3.30 to drop off Dave and Lynette. Unfortunately we couldn't drop them at the door because it was in a no-go zone for tourists, so they had to walk about a kilometre. We then discovered that Ray's phone had run out of data, so we couldn't use directions on the gps to guide us the 250 kms to our next destination in Marsciano. However, we had a rough idea. What could go wrong?

We easily found our way to the autostrada entrance in Firenze because, who would have thought, they had street signs. Then everything turned pear shaped, as we took the highway north, instead of south. We realised our mistake immediately, but there was no turning back and it took another 90 minutes to rectify, and get us on the right path. 

It was getting dark by the time we arrived in Marsciano and we were so close to our apartment, but could not find it. We asked a passing pedestrian, who lent us his wifi to be able to get directions. I could have kissed him. We were only two minutes away. 

Greeted by our non-English speaking host, he overcame the problem by using google translate. He advised us on a restaurant for dinner, which was a little way out of town, but very cheap and welcoming. Our host insisted on booking for us. I don't know why, as the place was huge and when we arrived around 8pm, we were the only ones there. We were provided with a complimentary glass of Prosecco as soon as we chose our table from hundreds there. I thought it was to celebrate their only customers, but a few more people arrived after us and were also given the Prosecco treatment. The dinner was a delight. After a very long and aggravating day, our farm house beckoned.

The Fiat Tipo waiting for its next assigment - getting us safely to Florence via Sienna and back to Marsciano

The one and only Piazzo Del Campo scene of Horse Races, Bike races and who knows what else. The Piazza is formed at the intersection of three ridges as they devolve into a valley. Both the horse races and the baike race finish after coming down one of the streets on a ridge. There is nothing like it. This picture does not convey the steepness of the Piazza in places.

We enter Sienna up the usual phalanx of steps and escalators.

We spied a nude marble woman at the window.

A work of art in the Square of the Duomo signifies the degraded perfection of it all.