CANALS and CANNABIS .......... and, A WHOLE LOT MORE ..........

We are off to Amsterdam ...... see you all soon .

Try to have a great week without me !!!! haha !!

image via night tattoo

........ and finally........ SIENA .....

O.K. We have finally reached the end of my holiday photographs. Don't worry when you hear the door being locked. This is just for your security !! May I suggest that you make yourselves comfortable. There will be someone coming round with drinks, nibbles and other refreshments to make this photographic extravaganza even more enjoyable !! Feel free to scroll down quickly if you are in a hurry. There are quite a few !!

This was the magnificent view that greeted us as we drove into the beautiful city of Siena. Siena is built on three hills and is surrounded by well-preserved walls and filled with fine examples of Gothic architecture. It has one of the world's most unique piazzas..... The Piazza del Campo (shaped like a shell) which is home to the famous horse race..... the Palio of Siena, which takes place twice a year.

.......... and this was the magnificent view from our bedroom window .......

We had booked into a wonderful bed and breakfast which was a converted monastery.

This is the courtyard where we had our breakfast every morning.

The Cathedral of Siena is truly magnificent. It was constructed between 1215 and 1263. The exterior and interior are constructed of black and white marble .......... black and white being the symbolic colours of Siena. At one point, I thought that I was in the film 'Beetlejuice' !!

The dome in the Cathedral.

Siena is divided into 17 contrades or districts. They all have their own churches and, the one above was the district where our hotel was.

Everyday, whilst we were in Siena, they would march through the streets, drumming and singing. They were about to have a street party and we think that they may have won the Palio, as they had parties every night !!!! We hung around here for a while, hoping for an invite but to no avail !! One obviously had to belong to the contrade to get an invite !!

Walking through the magical streets of Siena was like being on a film set.

Next to the Cathedral is the unfinished 16th century east wall which the public are allowed to climb.......... so, up we went !!

Only by climbing UP could I get such a wonderful photograph of the Piazza del Campo.

This is a brilliant view of Siena but, it didn't matter where I stood, I couldn't get a shot without that ****** tree being in the way !! It's at times like these that I wished I had a chain saw with me !!

Well, there we are.......... summer holidays are over for another year. The doors are now unlocked and you are all free to leave !!

Thanks so much for all of your wonderful and complimentary comments on my holiday posts.

Have a lovely week.

A DAY IN FLORENCE and SAN GIMIGNANO ..........

We have been to Florence before but. as we were in the area, we thought that another visit wouldn't go amiss. My favourite part about a visit to Florence is when you walk along the beautiful streets, turn the corner and there, spread out before you is the magnificent Duomo standing majestically in front of you. It is a 'take your breathe away' moment, no matter how many times you do it. My photographs don't do it justice, as it is very difficult to get the whole of it in, it is so vast !!

Sorry about my photographs. They always seem to lean somewhat to the left !!

The Arno river crosses Florence and passes below the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge.

The Piazza della Signoria

A replica of Michelangelo's David ..... the original is in the Academia Museum.

So, a very pleasant day was spent in Florence consisting of culture, wine and good food.

SAN GIMIGNANO

San Gimignano is a small, walled,  medieval town in the Siena region of Tuscany. It is mainly famous for its towers of which there were 72 , of which only 14 of varying heights remain. They have become San Gimignano's international symbol. 

Tradition now dictates that when on holiday, we climb every tower in sight !! Thank goodness that there is only one tower in San Gimignano that the public can climb !! But..... the lovely part of climbing towers is that you get a great vantage point for some amazing views and therefore, photographs.

You will be pleased to know that there is just one more post of our holiday to come !!

I will treat you all to the delights of Siena next time.

Until then.....

ARRIVEDERCI !