When I'm not studying, traveling, or eating I like to take my camera around Siena and explore the sites. The city square and surrounding areas are abuzz with tourists and college students, but I've found a few spaces within the city walls where I can use my camera and enjoy myself without worrying about a gelato-wielding tourist bumping into me and screwing up my lens. Anyway, besides the tourist-dodging I really do love this city! I have surprisingly felt more at home here within a month than I did at my college back home where I've spent three years! Some of my favorite places to visit are the above pictured Torre La Mangia where the main piazza is, and the quiet, narrow streets between the Piazza, and the white and blue striped duomo on top of the hill.
It's refreshing to be around Siena's welcoming people. As I said, there are many other college students, so I've made many new friends from other countries and it has made for a surprisingly fun night life scene. Besides that, I've found many more people who are interested in cooking, exploring, and passing the time with a nice bottle of wine. Frequent festivals, events, and markets in the public spaces of Siena make a dull day extremely exciting, and I'm happy to say I haven't missed one yet. And although most Sienese people mistake me for a German tourist, they remain kind when I reveal to them that I am an American college student, not a wealthy German.