The girls woke up earlier, much earlier than the guys today. Early enough for them to go to the open air market for fruits, vegetables, and other assorted stuff. Lindsey purportedly caused mayhem when she asked to taste a string bean. That sort of thing just isn't done in Italy, so the old man misunderstood and snapped the bean in half showing how fresh and delicious it was.
Not satisfied, the request was repeated and all of the old nonnies standing nearby started to repeat what she was doing to others and clarifying their astonishment to one another. I was told this went on with much furor and excitement for the locals could not believe her actions! All in all they let the girls leave unharmed (probably thinking it safest to leave them alone) and they came back with bags of loot for a total of €18!
There was juice - freshly made juice from the market fruits and vegetables. Oddly, with the abundance of such lovely fresh fruits in Italy, the restaurants are extraordinarily missing them from the menus. Our diet has been a lopsided food pyramid, propped up by the occasional fiber. Stumbling through a slow morning/afternoon on the definition of a lazy Saturday, we finally managed to clean up and venture off into the day.
First stop, Giorgio's patissiare for lunch/breakfast. Walking in here was a treat as everything shown looked as good as it tasted (we know because we attempted to eat many things). You declare and pay for what you're having first, then order it from the man behind the counter. Amongst our breakfast loot were glorious sandwiches made out of combinations of artichoke, mortadella, proscuitto, pistachio cream, aged goat cheese, arugula, and other delights on their foccacia bread. There were of course pastries that our friends ordered a plate of and only ate two (how rude, hah!) completing the picture was coffee, any way you want it, made with the most serious dedication that one could find in Italy, never mind Florence.
Satiated and happy, we hopped in our car and made off for Siena. The drive there was at times breath taking. Fields of crops, sunflowers, and orchards of olives, dotted between homes shaped like sugar cubes and lived in by Italian Renaissance masters. The warm colors, clay tiled roofs, and patios, balconies, and green shutters transformed simplicity with grace.
Our arrival to Siena was at the top of a hill, like most ancient Italian towns started. Easily defended, good view of the surroundings, and work in the fields was always downhill when starting your day. We wandered through the ancient streets behind the original walls, winding our way through the descendants who helped build everything and the tourists who probably tried invading at one point or another.
Dead center of Siena is a sprawling courtyard that slopes to the bottom with a gentle curve a place that nicely holds courts and concerts alike. Around the edge is an annual horse race, where the families compete to be recognized as the victors for the year with flags throughout the streets. We relaxed in the setting sun for a bit, savoring the taste of drool-inducing almond cookies originated in Siena called ricciarelli. 
Towering over the courtyard is a giant brick clock tower that we recognized immediately. We have one of these in Waterbury back home! I'm not sure MP appreciated the joke, but he can rest assured the one in Waterbury does not compare to the original in Siena.
Our journey back raced the sunset, outlining the rolling hills once again. If it were possible we somehow had room for dinner, which for Italy is around 9:00. Two Florentine steaks cooked just enough so they were cited as "raw" and perfectly seasoned. Some wild boar and pasta, Roman artichokes, desserts, and a well deserved thanks to the owner.
Our night was just starting. This is unusual for us as we are rather boring people and tend not to do anything too exciting once the sun sets. Our friends were having none of that and warmed us up with a trip to Eby's, a man from somewhere other than Italy who loves his rum. He stocks his shelves with more rums than I have ever seen before and crafts up drinks of his imagining on the spot. Looking a bit like Einstein and mixing liquids like a mad scientist, we were charged with having Caffe di Eby, which involved eating a slice of orange coated in coffee grounds and brown sugar then immediately downing a shot of rum, Coke, and possibly something else that exploded in foam on the bar right before consumption. Lots of fun! A short walk across town brought us through several bars jammed with people between 16 and 35 to our final destination (Lochness) for more drinks. Midnight was passing and so was our limited time in Florence so we had to finally call it a day in order to do more fun things tomorrow!
-NT
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