Italy 2010 - Day 8 & 9

AHHH  the first day where we did not sweat before noon! The weather has finaly cooled down, either that or we have just become immune. 

All the heat and sweating finally has taken a toll on us, my husband is sick. He is not sure if it is a virus or a bad "vongole" but he's had a rough 24 hours.  I only have a soar throat so far, let's hope it stays at that.

So now, he is sleeping back at the hotel and I am wandering the streets of Siena.  Beautiful city!!  Full of tourists but of the International Kind..  A little bit of everything from everywhere, unlike Bellagio which was FULL from top to bottom with American Tourists. 

Hearing American voices kind of ruins the feeling of being away, far from home, on vacation...  my husband would chat with anything that moves on the other hand, so sometimes I get trapped! I think if I had 1€ for everytime I heard an American voice say: "So, where are you from?" I'd be so rich I'd never have to come back from vacation.

Since I have a bit more time to linger on line, I thought I'd catch you up on my progress for "being good" food wise...  I consider myself highly sucessful! Based on the plan I had for myself in my entry regarding eating on vacation I consider this vacation to be a huge succes!  I have been having very reasonable 1 portion meatless cheeseless breakfasts, I only has desert once so far and it was ice cream and strawberries so I conscider that reasonable. Dinners have been small, never 3 courses. Have not snacked between meals ONCE! I even ordered fish on various occasions to keep things light. Yeah me!!! 

Lunches remain huge overall mind you, but I am on vacation after all!!!

Regarding my top 2 meal goals I surpassed my plan by doing each 3 times!!  OINK OINK...  but I love it.

My knee (following my tumble in Manarola) is now somewhere between purple and yellow with bits of red and black... it's pretty gross and I didn't manage to get the blood stains completly out of my jeans...  Ah well, I'll consider it a souvenir from Cinque Terre.

Or hotel here in Siena seems very nice so far..  VERY VERY rustic but with a very modern bathroom. Good mix! Haven't slept there yet, but we are encouraged so far. Nothing on this trip has the hopes of surpassing our hotel in Sestri Levante.  What a great place! It was a recommendation from my travel agent and I am glad I took it.

Not only was the hotel fantastic, but the customer service was excellent too. My husband forgot his glasses in Genoa, and when we check into the hotel in S.L., we explained the situation to the receptionist and she just took over. Called the hotel in Genoa, waded through the mind field of lazy jerks at said hotel in Genoa who did not want to mail them... and finaly did so on Friday! Some help!  We still don't have them. Sending them to Canada seems like it would be a big deal, so when they arrive in S.L., she will send them on to the last hotel in Milan.  I wonder how this saga will end?  Will he get them back in one piece?

We've been staying up late like grown-ups on this vacation unlike our usual pattern of going to bed at 8!! Now at that time, we are just settling into diner!  The most obvious explanation is that most restaurants only open around 7- 7:30, but I think we just got in the habit.  I am not sure how things will go today...  because my husband is sick, it's a possibily I might not be able to wake him us at our agreed time of  7PM (a little over an hour from now).

I am tired too, I have to confess.

Tomorrow, we are off on a tour of San Giminiano which includes a wine tasting, and a sampling of Tuscan meats and cheeses.  We really want to be in shape for the excursion. Normally we would train and bus it there on our own, but with this company (a brochure I picked up in the hotel lobby) they pick you up and drop you off at your hotel, and since we are both a little under the weather it seemed the best way to go.

So, that's it for now.  Now that I have rested by feet a bit, I will go wander around town some more before going to check in on my Husband.

Ciao!