RogerDodger and FancyNancy Circle the Globe: Have you seen a Grey Punto?

OK don’t tell me you’ve never lost your rental car...I know this happens to everybody sometime...doesn’t it?

Nancy and I headed out to Siena (Tuscany) this morning, light drizzle but we were hopeful the day would change. We had good directions and drove right to the city, found one of the entrances to the old city and actually happened upon a parking garage (very rare in Italy)...we had a great day visiting the Cathedral of Santa Marie Assunta, the attached Crypt and Battistero, the museum next door and we even climbed the tower for the Panoramic View of the city. We strolled through old town to the Piazza del Campo for a wonderful lunch and then spent time in the Museum and the square, watching people and enjoying the fountain.

My sense of direction is generally spot on, I always try to pick out landmarks so I can negotiate my way back to where I need to get...today was the exception. I thought we had entered the city through the Levio Porto, so when it was time to go, I retraced our steps and became hopelessly lost in the maze of Sienna...we did make it to a Parking Garage, it was just the wrong one. Once you become lost in these narrow alleyways and lanes all you can do is try to find something you recognize and try to figure where you need to be in relation to it. I told Nanc we needed to go back to the Piazza del Campo, and from there I should be able to find my way back to the car. It is now very overcast and it looks like night is quickly approaching...yikes! I finally decide to break the men’s code of asking for directions...I approached this older lady, asked if she spoke english (no) and asked her in my limited Italian where the Porto Levio was located, I thought if I could find the gateway to the area where I parked I could find the Garage. After a long hesitation she clearly (even without me having any language skills) informed me there was no such place as the Levio Porto...she spent a couple second thinking and asked me if I meant The Ovele Porto...in that second I knew that was my problem...with Nancy now openly laughing at me I got directions and we pretty much walked right to the lane we needed and the car. It wouldn’t be so bad but this is the second time in a couple weeks this has happened...I also got us lost in Spoleto. Nanc has now decided when we park the very 1st thing she is doing is taking pictures of street names and landmarks...she is really becoming a smartass. Anyway, all’s well that ends well...with car in hand we had an easy ride home and are currently sitting and relaxing...next up is Rome and I’ve already been there 4 times...hopefully, I’ll remember my way.

By the way, Siena was fabulous...loved it.