Siena and Firenze

Yesterday We took the Sita bus from beside the train station to go the 60 kms or so to Siena.
After driving through florence suburbs we eventually hit the Autostrade.. It's just amazing how they overtake trucks and coaches with barely inches between vehicles on one side and metal or concrete barriers on the other! Lanes seem to be much narrower here and NO shoulder or emergency lanes as an escape route.. as we witnessed as we sped passed an accident in the opposite lanes which were clogged up for at least 5 kms.. somehow emergency vehicles seemed to have reached the accident scene and the badly damaged car was on a tow truck. At the far end of the loong two lane traffic stream, police were slowly turning the cars around and heading them back up the way they'd come. We felt sorry for at least one crowded bus load of tourists.. don't know how they would have turned them around!

Siena turned out to be very busy and crowded.. we purchased a map and endeavoured to find our way around.. eventually found the famous Palazza del Campo where they hold the Pallio where we sat in the centre and had some much needed lunch.

We found the Cathedral and took pics.. managed to get inside to see the tomb of St Catherine of Siena.

But Siena was a trial even for a fairly experienced map reader, so we eventually found our way back to the buses, rather footsore and weary!

Today, Thursday we went off fairly early and got in to see the interior of the famous Baptistry of Florence (Info in this link is very informative!)
This afternoon we walked to discover some gardens .. walked around the large fort.
Tried to get stamps at the post Office which we found was again closed - so no postcards!!

finished our well-earned leisurely day with a good meal.