San Gimignano and Siena, Italy: Sunday, August 8, 2004
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It is the trademark olive.
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A view of the countryside on the way to San Gimignano.
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Grape vines in front of the outline of San Gimignano, a 14th century town.
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The grapes and leaves look luscious, healthy and bursting.
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An attempt to capture the silver-gray-green olive branches in front of the stately building.
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The first approach to San Gimignano (which incidentally is overrun with tourists in August.)
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This is very hard to see, but in the center of the picture, towards the bottom - there's a well. Possibly.
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A row of houses in San Gimignano.
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The church in San Gimignano. Unfortunately, as it was Sunday, they asked that no tourists come in.
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A study in contrasts, these neighbor buildings.
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Windows stacked onto the world.
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ArtShot (tm). My camera is tilting on me again. Or it may be my angle, from where I'm standing in the street.
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Soft living green awaits on the other end of the hard rock arch.
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Side of the church (?)
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A cafe just on the outskirts of San Gimignano. Looks like a fine place to stop and stay for a bit.
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San Gimignano ...
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The cooperation of the elements.
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Our host for lunch at the Fattoria San Donato, http://www.fattoriasandonato.com, shows us his cellar. They grow olives and grapes, and make olive oil as well as
at least 3 types of wine.
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But it's not all quaint casks. An industrial strength cask.
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Grapevines above the doorway to the cellar.
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These vines, too, are bearing fruit.
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The rustic part of Fattoria San Donato.
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This time it's a dog, not a cat (look closely.)
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The pool at San Donato. They also take in guests!
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A guest cottage at Fattoria San Donato.
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A courtyard in Fattoria San Donato.
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It was seeming to want to maybe start to rain a little bit, so we had lunch in the friendly cellar.
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Let's see who I can identify - from the left: woman from Shanghari, man from Montreal, retired couple, me, oh dear here I a trailing off ... the man at the end is our guide; Florentine.
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I'm not sure what is romantic about a table of antipasti, but the couple from Canada must! Either that, or this is another victim of the "pose mentality" that we are taught. What will look good.
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View from the cellar, looking out.
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After lunch, the reddish brownish buildings take on a new light - Siena beckons.
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Siena's cathedral, by cypress.
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A steep street in Siena.
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A cluster of four buildings, topped by the old tower.
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Another angle turns this into an ArtShot(tm).
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A side street and a happy child.
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The Siena Cathedral from afar.
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The cathedral in the local setting.
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Looking up at the front of the cathedral.
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The doors of the cathedral share a lot with the cathedral in Florence. In fact, there was a competition (apparently) so see which city could build the largest cathedral. Florence won.
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The front of the Siena cathedral.
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The belltower of the Siena cathedral.
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A parting ArtShot(tm).
Marianne Mueller
Last modified: August 30, 2004
It is the trademark olive.
A view of the countryside on the way to San Gimignano.
Grape vines in front of the outline of San Gimignano, a 14th century town.
The grapes and leaves look luscious, healthy and bursting.
An attempt to capture the silver-gray-green olive branches in front of the stately building.
The first approach to San Gimignano (which incidentally is overrun with tourists in August.)
This is very hard to see, but in the center of the picture, towards the bottom - there's a well. Possibly.
A row of houses in San Gimignano.
The church in San Gimignano. Unfortunately, as it was Sunday, they asked that no tourists come in.
A study in contrasts, these neighbor buildings.
Windows stacked onto the world.
ArtShot (tm). My camera is tilting on me again. Or it may be my angle, from where I'm standing in the street.
Soft living green awaits on the other end of the hard rock arch.
Side of the church (?)
A cafe just on the outskirts of San Gimignano. Looks like a fine place to stop and stay for a bit.
San Gimignano ...
The cooperation of the elements.
Our host for lunch at the Fattoria San Donato, http://www.fattoriasandonato.com, shows us his cellar. They grow olives and grapes, and make olive oil as well as
at least 3 types of wine.
But it's not all quaint casks. An industrial strength cask.
Grapevines above the doorway to the cellar.
These vines, too, are bearing fruit.
The rustic part of Fattoria San Donato.
This time it's a dog, not a cat (look closely.)
The pool at San Donato. They also take in guests!
A guest cottage at Fattoria San Donato.
A courtyard in Fattoria San Donato.
It was seeming to want to maybe start to rain a little bit, so we had lunch in the friendly cellar.
Let's see who I can identify - from the left: woman from Shanghari, man from Montreal, retired couple, me, oh dear here I a trailing off ... the man at the end is our guide; Florentine.
I'm not sure what is romantic about a table of antipasti, but the couple from Canada must! Either that, or this is another victim of the "pose mentality" that we are taught. What will look good.
View from the cellar, looking out.
After lunch, the reddish brownish buildings take on a new light - Siena beckons.
Siena's cathedral, by cypress.
A steep street in Siena.
A cluster of four buildings, topped by the old tower.
Another angle turns this into an ArtShot(tm).
A side street and a happy child.
The Siena Cathedral from afar.
The cathedral in the local setting.
Looking up at the front of the cathedral.
The doors of the cathedral share a lot with the cathedral in Florence. In fact, there was a competition (apparently) so see which city could build the largest cathedral. Florence won.
The front of the Siena cathedral.
The belltower of the Siena cathedral.
A parting ArtShot(tm).