Thanks, Siena

Siena in the autumn, from the Orto Botanico.

Since my time in Siena has come to a close, I can’t help but scroll through my pictures over and over again. It seems forever ago that I arrived, not knowing a single other person in Siena, or Italy for that matter. And yet when Thanksgiving rolled around I wasn’t nostalgic for home or family traditions, as I might have expected, but rather far too excited to spend the holiday in Siena. Our Italian Thanksgiving was the best: the best food, the best friends, in the best place I could have asked for. Dinner preparations may have tried the apartment’s electricity (apparently four people cooking at once doesn’t agree with the circuits…hello, black-out) and we did have to precariously balance pots and pans through the Campo on our way to the potluck (with some odd stares from onlookers), but, as always, it was well worth it. We toasted and ate in the usual apartment gathering, a great memory in the making. So thanks for good friends, fun and food. And thank you, Siena.

Thanksgiving crew.

Blurry, delicious, food: Italian style Thanksgiving dinner.

Julia and her amazing pie!

And some pre-dinner cooking.

Siena, from the top of the Torre del Mangia.