Buon Giorno, Tutti!
Today was such a great experience for the group that I had to share it with you!
After class today, we hustled (actually, the kids ran, and I tried to keep up) to catch the bus to San Gimignano for an afternoon of touristy behavior. San Gimignano has a few important attractions:
1. The Duomo of the city - contains frescoes of the old and new Testaments of the Holy Bible. Also contains the burial location of the patron saint of the city, Santa Fina. She's actually an ideal saint to know for our group. At the age of 10, a serious sickness overtook her body causing her to become paralyzed, and, rather than being bed-set, she preferred to lie on an oak table. Eventually, her body actually grew into the oak table, and, after 5 years, Saint Gregory the Great appeared to her and predicted her death, which happened soon after on the predicted date. A symbol of determination and faith.
2. The Rocca - like every other town in Tuscany, SG's Rocca is the highest point of the city, with beautiful views and a nice, fresh place to enjoy the coolest spot in the city.
3. The best Gelateria in the World - tacky and neon-laden, this spot cannot be missed. Most of us in the group had two servings of gelato from there. They have several special flavors, but the one I most recommend is the Crema di Santa Fina - a cream-flavored gelato with saffron, with a little granola and pine nuts in it. WOW. And I'm totally a chocolate and fruit flavors fan.
SPI graciously covered the cost of the bus tickets for going and returning, so the kids had a great time wandering town, with Becky as tour guide. Hope they have some great pics to share with you!!!
Tomorrow is our last day of class, and our last day in Siena. Everyone will be taking a test to check their progress, and they'll receive diplomas of credit (which I'll promptly collect and take to SPI, from whom you can get them when you go to your university's orientation!). We will take a stroll together out to the Fortress for a group farewell to Siena, then the kids have the afternoon and evening free to make any final purchases and pack for Rome. We meet EARLY on Saturday morning - have to be ready to catch the bus at 7 AM! - and will bus back to Rome, where we'll return to the same hotel where we stayed at the beginning of the trip. After dropping off bags (and meeting my husband, who arrives when we do), we all will travel by metro and local train to Ostia Antica, where we'll tour the city, deserted in the 2nd century due to the plague. Afterwards, we'll return to the hotel to rest and do any final packing (can you believe the ENTIRE group of kids told me that they DIDN'T want to go to the beach for a few hours?), then have our final dinner out, before I force a good night's sleep on all of them before a long day of travel on Sunday.
Parents, again, I just wanted to thank you and the kids for the awesome experience we've had this summer. Not only has this bunch been some of the best learners of Italian, they've been adventurous, always willing to go the extra few steps for the special opportunity. They've made this experience for me so special, and I'll always be thankful.
peace,
L
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