Siena

                                                               Siena and more Steps.

I'm starting to be troubled as to how elders get around.  I am practically on my knees by mid day, looking for a cafe when passing me on the impossible cobble stones is a 4'2" older women with a white plastic bag loaded with fresh veggies and fruit and meat.  Passing me with a miserable look on her face.  I know Italians love their country but I think their sworn a secrete oath to not to show it on their faces.  Seriously how do people manage these stairs every day.  I would become a recluse in my apartment if I lived here. These are a few hundred steps to the DomoHere we have another powerful majestic tower piercing the sky- it's starting to sound like I've taken my vocabulary from one of those romance novel you know the ones that always have a buff man and a desperate women on the cover.
                                                                                             A few more pillars.
Some pillars and a staggeringly beautiful floor. I believe I read it took 200 years to finish the floor of this Domo. 
                                                                                              A few more pillars.
                                                                                                   The Domo

This incredible structure is white and green marble.  It's so phenomenal. I'm running out of adjectives to properly describe how I feel about what I'm seeing.
                                                                                                 Michaelangelo

When I heard there were a statues of Michaelangelo's in this Domo it sparked my interest.  To be honest I might have passed on it, which would have been a shame. My reason for passing is I've seen enough churches and most of these cities are also outdoor museums.  However this Domo is worth seeing, if you see nothing else in Siena see this. I did not take pictures of the floors in the back of the cathedral but the work is not to be believed.  The pictures are some -what depressing, one of the famous inlaid panels is the "Slaughter of the Innocents".  It's not a joy to look at in fact as I was standing looking at it an English man next to me said "why do they make everything so depressing?".  Who wants to look at babies being slaughtered  (we were both looking)? I said "it's fear - it controls the masses.  It just works, look at the history of the world". He looked at me and said "I'm afraid your right". We both laughed at his choice of words.

I love this artists work I love it with such a deep appreciation it brings me to tears.  I'm heading back to Roma just to see work of his that I miss the first time around. I can't believe what I'm about to say - I'm a Michaelangelo groupie.  Truly I've never admired anyone to the extent that I would follow them around - but clearly I am doing that (hundreds of years to late).  Perhaps if everything is happening at the same time ( some say it is so let's play with it) then I'm in fact stalking Michaelangelo.  For some reason that did not come out right.

Buona Notte