Siena

Monday was spent primarily on a day trip to the quaint little city of Siena. This beautiful city was a delightful contrast to the bustling cities of Florence and Rome. Rome is enormous and touristy while Florence is large and lively. Siena, although much to see, had an overwhelming sense of a little city, off the beaten path.

We waltzed through the tight little streets, observing cute local shops and decorated homes. Siena has its own Duomo. For the size of the city, this Duomo was incredibly impressive. I was expecting a little Church, but this one was truly magnificent. The inside was one of the most adorned churches I have ever seen. And there were works of art from such names as Michelangelo, Donatello, Raphael and Bernini. It was incredible! A hidden gem.

The highlight was that our tour-guide Laura asked the Duomo's staff if we could sing. They said yes. We were able to spontaneously sing Ave Maria in the church. It was wonderful to hear our voices resonating within the beautiful space.

We received a thorough walking tour of the city before getting free time to explore ourselves. When it was time to go, we gathered back on the bus to Florence. We were very sad to leave Siena. It was such a delightful excursion.

Back in Florence, it was time for business. We went straight to the little church where we would perform for the night. It was a very small church right in the heart of downtown Florence. It was wonderful to sing there because the doors remained open and many people poured in off the streets...even during our practice. I thought it was one of the most unified performances to date.

Tuesday, we are off to Venice. We are all very excited! What adventures will we find here?!