Last week in Siena...no that was 2 weeks ago (or MORE!!)

Hi all, yes I have been on the move for 2 weeks (or more now!! Ha) now after leaving my beloved adoptive home and family in Siena!! I have seen and done lots and moved quite a way but that will have to wait whilst I tell you about my last week in Siena...

It was a bit of a whirlwind actually, especially as it was a short week due to the public holiday on the Monday. I cant even remember what it was for...maybe all saint day?!? haha

But I spent that day doing some sight seeing around Siena...since I had neglected to do this up until this point....it is too easy to forget when you are living somewhere!!


It was a weird last week at school though, for a number of reasons;
1. There were only four of us left in our class; two older women (Liv from Norway and Susanna from Swizzerland) and another young girl (Mirjam from Swizzerland) and myself

2. We were all finishing on the Firday so our class would be no longer for the following week and so we were all gearing down
3. The school was only holding classes for one more week after we all finished before closing for a few weeks for Christmas and New Years holidays so it was extremely quiet there on the whole
4. The teacher who we had all had for most of our time at the school who was from Naples, had to go home at the end of the week before for a family thing. She was very quirky and took a while to get used to but wasnt going to be back for our final week and left in a very odd way...and so we had a different teacher (one I had had a few times for my second class) ofr our last week and she was great but very different

That is Chica pronounced "Kika" (or Christina), the teacher next to me

Then I had promised my family...or offered I should say, much to the delight but also the hidden concern of my host mother...that I would cook them dinner as a 'thankyou gift'. The response to this suggestion was "Will it be an Australian dinner?"...so I had my work cut out for me, but WHAT IS an Australian dinner I ask you?!? haha

So I cooked Roast Chicken with stuffing, roast potatoes, roast carotts, steamed beans and gravy for them all...and it was my brother Michael who gave me all the instructions for this (via Facebook of course!!), and this made them even more impressed!! It went down well but they thought I had served them too much cos I gave them as much as they would eat in their normal 2 courses, or less even, on one plate and in one course!! haha...BUT, the hit of the night was the Apple Crumble!!!! With ice-cream, or gelato as they call it of course. My host mum couldnt get her head around serving hot with cold, but as soon as her daughter who has lived in Oz and the US before, declared that this is one of her favourite desserts and her son and his girlfriend went back for seconds, she asked me for the recipe!! Unfortunately I dont have any photos of this night cos it was a bit crazy and even later dinner than the normal 8pm!!

For the rest of the week I did a lot of sight seeing in Siena...all the things I hadnt done for the 3 weeks I had already spent living there. These included climbing La Torre di Mangia, the main tour in the main Piazza which has great views of all of Siena.

I also visited the Duomo (big church...exact traslation I promise!!), La Pinacotecca (main art gallery), Museo Santa Maria Della Scala (museum in the old pilgrims hospital), and much more!!

On the Thursday night I went out to the locals' favourite restaurant in town with the women from my class and a few others as a farewell type thing before our last day of school...it was fantastic!!

The last day of school was a bit weird as it was the end of all that was planned for me!! AND I was saying goodbye to all of these people that I had become quite close to in a weird way.

But there was still more with school people on the Saturday as it was a big festival day in Siena...St Lucia's Day and school had organised an excursion to check it all out and to have a bit of an explanation of everything.

SO...St Lucia is the saint of eyes and we went to the church and I had my eyes blessed!! YAY!! As though they arent already stuffed!! haha
And then we wandered as a group through the market that was set up for the festival along the street...there were stalls with lts of bells that were hand painted with motives of the different animals that represent the different areas of Siena...

And many many stalls making the traditional thin chip type biscuits that had an aniseed taste, with automatic machines...

It is yet another festival for lots of sweets and lollies, but this was not a problem for me!! You all know me and my food.

Then Sunday I took a day trip to Pisa...and YES, I saw the leaning tower, but I must admit that the tower definitely wasnt the best thing that I saw in Pisa, I thought the Cathedral was much nicer and more spectacular. So I spent more time looking around in there and the baptistry rather than paying 15 euros to climb the tower.

And yes, like everyone else I had to have one of those photos of me touching the tower...

But are you impressed, they are ALL self-taken!!

Officially as part of what I paid for with the school I was actually suposed to leave my home-stay on Saturday but my host Mum insisted that I stay on to see St Lucias day festivities and then also offered that if there were more things that I wanted to see around Siena, to stay and do day trips...and she wouldnt let me pay her more money too!!

So Monday I then took a short day trip (due to the restrictive buses) to a small mountain village called Volterra which was very cute, but VERY cold and quiet!!

But I think the best part of the day was the bus trip to and from through the gorgeous Tuscan winter countryside!!

So my time in Siena came to an end; my host parents dropped me at the station in a rush to catch my train to Bologna, the start of my travels through Italy...

I think this final photo sums up my time in Siena quite well...umbrellas, wet pavement and christmas lights!!

Ci vediamo

Jo xoxoxo

Taormina...been there, done that!!

Yep, thats right, I am no longer in Sicilia!!

After a 14 hour journey departing Taormina by bus at 10:15pm Saturday 15th November, I then arrived in Siena at 1:45pm Sunday 16th November.

I caught the local bus from Taormina down to the station in the town next door which is right on the water and then caught the over-night train to Roma. The train arrived in Roma at 9am and from there I hopped on an express train to Firenze (Florence). I arrived in Firenze at 11:20am and then had an hour before the local train to Siena.

I arrived in Siena to be met by the husband in my host family, even though I thought my "host Mum" would be there...as it turned out she had to stay home to look after her grandson...who is gorgeous mind you and now keeps following me around apparently because I am fair like his Mum...haha

So I made it and I am now exhausted!!

But prior to all of this I had my last week in Taormina, which was a bit of a whirlwind!!

As I thought might have been the case when I first decided to study in 2 places, I was just really feeling settled and in the groove of life in Taormina and I had to uproot myself for a new home...but at the same time, I am also happy to have a change of scenery and to have some new challenges ahead of me for the next month. I think I had also explored about as much of Sicily as is possible when you only have the weekends and are living on the eastern side.

So after a busy second last weekend of excursions and wineries and adventures, I planned out my final week with quite a few things that I wanted to do before I left Taormina...

Oh, and I also got another new house mate at Antonella's...Phillip, a 38yo South African now living in Swizerland who can speak very good italian from working in an italian speaking restaurant in Swizerland, but wanted to understand the mechanics behind it all...

This is him and I on my last night after dinner with Antonella's buddah...a story that will have to wait for another time...

We had beautiful weather nearly all week, so Monday afternoon I followed Danielle's lead and tried to go down to the beach in the afternoon for a swim after a bit of a walk...but as it turned out I took the wrong route, but still managed to find some beautiful views and scenery...which really isnt hard in Taormina!! haha

Tuesday, once again more beautiful weather all day and due to not finding the beach the evening before, I went for an early morning walk before school down to the beach and had a swim which was a FANTASTIC way to start the day...particularly when we were finding that the weather is always nicer in the morning and when we are in class and then by the afternoon the sun is gone and then it starts to get dark at 4:45pm!!

Wednesday morning I met Danielle outside her apartment at 8am and we walked up to the weekly market on one of the main roads to the upper outskirts of Taormina. It is mainly clothing and household items but also a bit of food and I had only heard about this market the week before and so thought it worth a look.

Oh and there was a VERY clear view of Etna on our way to the market...with snow on top now!!

On the way we stopped at the daily food market and bought a fresh fish for our dinner and then whilst at the other market werent tempted by any cheap clothes or boots but bought what we thought was fresh rocket and also some salted ricotta to go in a lentil dish which Danielle knew, with our fish.

Once again a beautiful day, so after class I walked up to a castel on one of the surrounding hills but unfortuantely it always seems to be closed to the public, even the grounds surrounding...but it was a nice walk none-the-less and i was able to do a loop back to my house.

So I got more great views of Taormina!!

The castel at the top of the hill that I walked up to.

So Wednesday night I cooked dinner with Danielle at her shared appartment organised by the school as I was curious to see what these apartments were like. It was very big but old and filled with miss-matched old furniture and was a bit on the cold side!!...even for Taormina!!

Our dinner was great though and we had bruschetta followed by the fish with the lentil dish...and some GREAT wine!!

Thursday afternoon before the rain hit once again, I went back to the Teatro Greco (Greek Amphitheatre) and sat and did a drawing of the magnificent view to give to Antonella as a gift to say thankyou...Im sure you all know how I feel about making gifts!! It is the best way!!

I then went along to a cheese tasting session at school which was fantastic!! We got to try about 8 cheeses and Pepe spoke a little about them and the differences and which were stronger and which more "dolce" (sweet, subtle).

Friday was obviously my last day of school and being amazing weather again, I went for another morning walk and swim. It was a little sad to say goodbye to school and all the teachers!! As they are all fabulous!! Friendly, helpful and very welcoming!!

I had hoped to go out for lunch with some of the other women who had been in my group for a while and were also finishing up but they had to go to Giardini Naxos, so after puddling on the net for a bit I went out for lunch with american Danielle.

In the afternoon I returned to the beach to search for my necklace which I had lost whilst down there in the morning for my swim...with no luck!! But I did get some nice photos...

In the evening Danielle, Danielle and I went to a restaurant called Tiramisu for dinner which is a favourite of the locals'. And it WAS great!!! I didnt take photos this time but I had pepper mussles which were AMAZING...and of course, I had to try the Tiramisu...another fabbo dish!!

My last day in Taormina, Saturday, was crazily stormy and perfect for being inside and packing bags and cleaning my room...

And then an amazing sunset, and clear view of Etna!!

I then had one last amazing dinner of pasta, fish, beans, salad and the mandatory bread with Antonella and Phillip whilst (as per usual) the two boys came and went!!

Antonella, buddah and I!! hahaha...I wasnt really looking at my prime with my red face from my hot shower in preparation to go straight to sleep once on the train.

Ci vediamo
Jo xoxox