The Roving, Ronin Hare

  As we continued to explore Italy, we realized that this peninsula alternates between beauty and idyll. Some parts were dazzling such that everything's smothered with things that shine resplendently. The other parts, on the other hand, were so much simpler. But make no mistake, a simple view of farms would breathe stressors away, giving you nostalgia for older times you will never live through... In Tuscany, it's the latter part that was more common. This idyllic region will whisk you to a bygone era that still exists to this day, somehow preserved while all the rest were completely obliterated by ravages of time. Tuscany is a region so popular that it is regarded as the birthplace of Italian Renaissance. On its countryside, we saw dozens of vineyards, scattered among countless rolling hills. Tuscany, after all, is also known worldwide for its wines, wines, and wines.  En Route from Siena One of the more noteworthy sights in Siena, which we saw while our bus was drifting away...

Our next destination was Siena, a medieval city adorned with Gothic structures. During our walking tour, we marveled at the city's beauty and fascinating history and culture. It was a nice start for our Tuscan Country tour, setting the pace and mood for the rest. Though Siena is, by now, reduced into a small city, barely inching up from its 50,000-population during its heyday, it is by no means an ordinary town. It remains grand and special in so many ways.  En Route from Florence Mama Sarah and I just behind the Train Station as we waited for our bus. Our Tuscan Country tour began just outside the Santa Maria Novella Train Station in the middle of a huge piazza in Florence. We waited for our bus, which would take us to our next destinations - Siena, San Gimignano, and Pisa. Davide, the tour guide, was punctual even though he lost his voice due to drinking and partying the night before. But beware, Davide was austerely punctual - he gets cranky when somebody arrives late, regardles...