I left beautiful Siena on a Wednesday.
After another good breakfast, I finished packing my stuff and realized that I had a collection of biscotti and some fruit that I'd not finished eating. I had to pack a small shopping bag just for my food!
I took a taxi to the train station. There was a lot of traffic that morning and the taxi driver explained that it was market day.
When I arrived to the station, I boarded the train, which was already on the platform. While waiting for the train to depart, I witnessed three Trenitalia staff members assisting a young woman (traveling solo) board the train. Initially they couldn't figure out how to fold her walker but then one of them finally did. It touched my heart to see such patience and care as one of the men helped the young woman onto the train and onto her seat.
The train arrived to Orvieto at around 2pm. I followed the crowd across the street and then took the funicular up to the old city center. I then boarded, bus "A", which took me to Piazza del Duomo. My hotel, Hotel Virgilio, is on this piazza next to the cathedral, near the TI office and the bus stop, a perfect location. Thanks Zoe for recommending this hotel!
After checking in (one needs to pay the total amount upon arrival), I was shown to my room (#16) on the first floor. My room was small with a single bed. The best thing about my room was the view from my window. When I pulled the curtains aside, there it was, the most amazing view of the side of the cathedral! I could look out at all different times of the day, and see all the tourists staring at the magnificent façade of the beautiful Duomo!
After settling into my new room, I went to the ‘Meta’ supermarket to buy some food since most restaurants were closed until 7pm. I always seemed to arrive too late to eat lunch at a restaurant, however I didn’t mind, because I knew I would find delicious food at the market deli!
On my way back to the hotel, I met a young man (from Nigeria), who was begging for money. I asked him if he wanted some food and he said; “yes, thank you’, so we walked back to the market and I paid for his food. He thanked me and I felt blessed. It was a special moment when I looked back and he’d met with a couple of his friends and he was showing them the food he would share with them; nothing special; some pasta, pasta sauce, bananas, onions, bread, yogurt, and a box of detergent (“to wash our clothes” he had said)
After eating my picnic lunch, I headed out to explore the city. I went to the TI office, across the piazza, and then decided to take the one-hour underground tour. The tour was very interesting. I learned about how the Etruscans dug caves under their homes where they kept animals, made olive oil and wine. The houses on the periphery of the city, by the city wall, also kept pigeons in these caves, which had a small window just big enough to let the pigeons fly in and out of. I regretted forgetting my phone (to take photos) in my room because there were great views of the valley from these “windows”.
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