I had to get to the school early for an oral placement test.

The text is A2, upper level beginner. My written test was B1/2 but not my spoken which is what I most want to improve. The entire class was in Italian but the instructor spoke quite slowly.

The first class was introducing ourselves, then some grammar and vocabulary. There’s a Brazilian, a Puerto Rican, 2 Swiss, 2 Americans and a German. One of the Swiss is a guy in his twenties but other than me and the German woman, everyone else is retired. Funnily, one of the Americans who is a retired practical nurse and the Puerto Rican who is a retired urologist are both going to be joined by their spouses in two weeks because their spouses didn’t want to do Italian classes. The other American is a retired cook whose husband isn’t joining because he’s Italian American and thinks he speaks enough Italian.

The school has a no photos policy. I guessed it was for privacy reasons but when someone took a photo of the optional activities posted on the bulletin board, she was told to delete it.

It might be against the policy but I took a photo in the bathroom stall because I had not seen a toilet tank like this.

I’ve seen ones where there’s a chain to pull, but this one you pull the small silver coloured pin at the bottom of the tank.

Every morning is language class, then cultural activities in the afternoon. For our first day, no homework and the afternoon activity was an orientation to the school building and services then an orientation walking tour of Siena.

We walked two of the major streets with Enzo, one of the instructors, who pointed out useful places and giving us tips for our stay, like which are the bad gelato shops and where you can get good food. Or below, a famous historic place for food and snacks, but expensive.

Above, the 19th century palazzo built for the family that founded the oldest bank in the world, Monte dei Paschi di Siena.

Below, a 0 kilometre food store with high quality items. Too bad I didn’t want to carry stuff with me.

The end of our walk was the intercity bus station/stop. Italians call city buses, autobus, but long distance buses, Pullmans. I thought Pullmans were train carriages.

Earlier, during our short lunch break, I got a gelato and wandered some of the streets I had not been on that are near the school. It looks like the street lights have decorations related to the contrada symbols.

Enzo described some of the contrade activities going on this month, but for some, like dinners, are not public, you need to be a member of the contrada.

After our walking tour, I went to the Museo del Opere. It has original statues and other art work removed from the Duomo both exterior and interior. Most are 13th century and some in rather bad shape. The main sculptor for exterior statues was Giovanni Pisano who likely was not related to Nicolas Pisano, who sculpted the pulpit inside the Duomo, because in the Medieval period, they would have had the last name, Pisano, because they were originally from Pisa.

More she-wolfs (she-wolves?)

Duccio or Duccio di Buoninsegna is regarded as one of the greats of Medieval art and worked mainly in Siena.

This was designed by Bernini but no explanation of its purpose.

This was by Lorenzetti, Ambrogio (I think). The Lorenzetti brothers painted the Good Government Bad Government fresco in the civic palace in Piazza del Campo which I think we will look at one of the afternoons.

This was the featured work in the room on the top floor, Madonna with the Big Eyes. I’m going to have to look into its importance because it’s not obvious to me—possibly an icon.

The other attraction on the top floor was going outside. I passed. This is where people were going — looking up from the ground.

You can see the heads sticking up on top of the wall.

At the front of the Duomo some inspection was going on, also from a position I would certainly avoid.

Over the next four days, in addition to language lessons, there are two art lessons, two cooking lessons and a wine tasting. Not sure I’ll have photos.