Finally, San Gimignano

I finally made to the one Italian town that has always been on my list of must sees but just didn’t work out on my previous trips. There was no way I wasn’t going to make it there this time.

After my successful use of public transportation to Perugia (even with the workers strike foiling my afternoon departure) I decided I was ready to brave the bus to San Gimignano.

I used a bit of my precious cell data service to look up the bus schedule and found a bus left at 1:40 then every hour after that. It takes about 2 hours by bus so I wanted to catch the 1:40 to maximize my time. The bus station is right beside the train station and it took me well over an hour to walk there on Friday. So to make the bus I was going to have to be on my most focused walk.

I mapped out my route and since I did better walking along the river I decided to walk out, down then b ack in instead of cutting through town. It was probably longer but fewer opportunities to get lost. I really only had one turn after I headed back in from the river there was just no way I could get lost. The question was could I get there and get my ticket in 40 minutes.

Anxiously watching my watch at the end of class I couldn’t focus on my work. When he said there was time for one more activity I almost groaned. I know I am an adult and could have said I needed to leave but I didn’t want them to think I didn’t like the knew set up so I stayed and did the assignment. Of course this was the first one that really hard and j missed several. When he checked it he didn’t just correct them he had me try again. Now by my watch it is after 1 and I need to be leaving not working on the plural versions of colors. Finally I get them all right and I run for the door. The whole way debating on if I’ll take the 2:40 train or wait till tomorrow and try again if I don’t make it in time.

Finally a plan that worked. I made it to the bus station with 8 minutes to spare. No wrong turns and only 3 people in line in front of me. I get my ticket and go to the bus parked in my spot only to be told it was the wrong bus San Gimignano would be the next bus in the slot. For a moment I felt like I hurried for nothing. But the buses changed quickly I got my seat and the bus took off at exactly 1:40. My watch was 5 minutes fast.

I had to transfer buses at poggibonsi (great name for a town) and that was a little confusing. Not really being much of a bus rider I thought the bus would go from one station to the next not stop occasionally along the way. I see the poggibonsi town sign and the bus is stopping but is is just at the grocery store one person gets off and the bus takes off. We meander through the town which is much bigger than its name implies all the while I thinking I missed my stop. But then finally we pull up to the bus/train station and the driver tells you to get off for the San Gimignano transfer.

After a 20 minute wait I am back on the bus heading up winding narrow roads to San Gimignano. I got my first glimpse just as we were coming around one of the too narrow for a bus curves. It really is impressive from a distance. It sits on the top of the hill with its medieval wall still completely intact. You could see it off in the distance but we never seemed to get to it. Once again I was reminded that I was on a city bus as we stopped at every possible place to pick up or drop off a local. When we got closer I got worried that I wouldn’t know when to get off and end up in sienna. We stopped several places that would have worked for getting into the town but the bus driver once again told you when to get off. It would have been hard to miss anyway since there was a big parking lot that said San Gimignano right beside the bus stop.

The town was smaller than I expected having just come from Perugia, San Gimignano seemed tiny. My first stop was an Enoteca where I tried some wines and cheeses. San Gimignano is basically a wine, prosciutto and cheese place. They had some great sheep milk cheeses. I wish I could have brought them home. She said they would be fine I unrefrigerated but I don’t think I could have handled the smell.

I basically walked around and enjoyed the views. It is a really pretty area. Vineyards and farm land surround the town.

I paid the $5 to go into the duomo which was small but nice. The walls were covered in frescos from floor to ceiling. They were some of the easier to understand or connect to the bible story. There was a series on creation and my favorite was eve coming out of Adam’s stomach. So basically Adam was lying on the ground and Eve was popping out his middle. Not exactly what I think of when I here about Adam and Eve but I knew exactly what they were referencing so I guess it worked.

I could have titled this post “the day day I saw a body” but decided against it. Saint Fina is displayed in the duomo in all her glory. Of course she is enshrined in a glass coffin and looks super fake but they claim it is her actually body. As saints are, she is well preserved and looks more like a wax figure than a corpse. I almost missed her the first time by. I had looked at the paintings but has not noticed her down on the ground. There was a pamphlet on her that for a small donation you could take and it talked about this board she laid on for five years. I thought I had seen wood so I went back to see if it was in fact the board. The sign claimed it was and while checking that out and getting grossed out by the fact that they kept this board where this young girl died with horrible sores all over body, I saw the coffin. At first I thought it was a figure placed to represent the young girl but I was wrong. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen the two popes at Saint Peter’s in Rome. Not exactly the highlight of my trip but something worthy of sharing. An surprising not an uncommon sight in Italy.

After the church I had a bit more wine and wondered around a bit and took a lot of pictures before heading back to the bus. Of course per my usual I went down the wrong street and came out somewhere different. I recognized the place as one of the earlier bus stops and considered just waiting there. But I was hungry and had intended to grab a pizza on my way to the bus so I climbed back up the street only to turn to my right and come back down again. Figuring I had worked out enough for the pizza I ordered the stuffed which was basically two crusts.

The bus ride back was pretty uneventful and I made it back safely to mamas about 8:30.

I enjoyed San Gimignano and it is a beautiful town but probably too touristy for some. It is well worth the hassle of getting there to me just to see the towers rising from the hill. Other than the steep ups and downs it is easy to walk around town since there are very few cars. I am glad I made the effort and would certainly go back if I have the chance. Although probably not for everyone I loved the lazy nature of San Gimignano.