After a little research, we found out that perhaps the pots are just an expression of modern art outside a local gallery. We asked a cute girl that mans the desk at our castle. She might have laughed WITH us a little.
However, we do believe that these were once utilized as storage containers for olive oil...at least that's what we think.
So, thanks for playing...the gelato was DELICIOUS! Good job, Rita. You enjoyed a scrumptious nutella/banana gelato today.
On to other news...
Today, we decided to venture into the 2nd largest city in Tuscany (the largest will be Florence on Friday - God help us)...Siena.
Two words Rick Steves...Siena sucks.
We spent the first hour looping the Futbol Stadio to find parking. They generously allowed a three foot path to travel through in finding a spot. We truly thought we were about to drive right onto the field with crowds cheering, etc., when we were rudely snapped back into realty as the passenger mirror dragged along the brick wall to our right. Just for the record, the navigator didn't even flinch...full coverage is awesome and definitely worth the 21 euros. Shoot, we wanted to get our money's worth.
We then attended the market (aka crappy ass flea market) where we unsuccesfully tried to find attire for international children's day. We are still working on something fabulous (other than our Italian purses - see previous blog). After hours of perusing the aisles and a mom haggling the man down a whole euro, we tried to see the downtown sights, but we couldn't figure out the shotty transportation system. We left.
Well, not so fast. In Italy, apparently you must find a mysterious cashier before taking your car. The navigator walked down a steep hill, then climbed 96 stairs in high altitude to no avail to find this "cashier". We asked for help from two lovely locals who gave us directions, albeit in Italian and gestures and broken English. So we began to drive. After taking two more loops around the Stadio, we found the exit with the ticket machine, and the railroad arm. Worth mentioning...we're stopped on a 45 degree hill in a standard vehicle that we have so carefully manuevered into position. What, no money taker? What to do?
We put the ticket in the machine and the arm remained still. Hmmm. We pressed the attendant button where a gentleman's voice said "you have to pay." "Where do we pay?" said the driver. "GO BACK," said the attendant. We all sat in silence wondering how in the world we would GO BACK though that 3 foot wide maze that we had not so successfully done forwards. The ticket was gone, the crew was in dismay. The driver asked again, "Where do you pay?", neatly folding her bill and cramming it into a slot on the machine didn't exist in reality. "Do I put it in the machine?" she asked. "GO BACK!" "I NEED MY TICKET - YOU TOOK IT!" The ticket made a brief appearance, but the reflexes of the driver were too slow as the ticket disappeared. "Una mas," said the driver in her best Spanish, which she only pulls out in emergency situations. We finally got the ticket and the navigator bailed to find a policeman that we had seen on the other side of the railroad arm for help.
Please note visually, flashers are on, some man in a small building about 20 yards behind us was waving people around us. We were attracting a crowd. Suddenly, it dawns on the driver that HE is the cashier. That's what GO BACK means...roll back a few @#!$ feet you ___ Americans. A mom ran back to pay, told him "here's the money!" He said, "you need a ticket" (smiling) and the navigator ran to the rescue with the ticket. Guess what, it's all on film...he had a closed circuit tv in there watching the whole thing. We think we might get a kickback from the Italian candid camera.
So after a 10 minute ordeal that simply rolling backwards would have solved, we decided to go home with the good feeling that we had given one man quite a story to tell at his table tonight.
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