We traveled into Tuscany by train today. Tracy and I took a day trip from Florence to Siena, a small city/big town that still has many of its medieval buildings. We meandered through tight, curving streets, gazing up at crenellated rooftops and pointing out funky doors, windows and "secret" passageways. The best part of the trip, actually, was the train ride through Tuscan towns. We had a train car nearly to ourselves, warm air blowing through open windows as the sun was starting to set (about 6pm). The light made the orange-tiled homes even more brilliant against green rolling hills. Every now and again we would spot an old castle atop a hill. I'm reading Under the Tuscan Sun (a book trade with another traveler on the boat from Greece), so the real life visuals made the book come alive today.

We leave Florence tomorrow for Levanto, a coastal town north of the Cinque Terre. It was the only place that had available hostel space, but my Italy guide says it is "graced with a long, sandy beach." We are looking forward to it. On the way, we plan to stop in Pisa to see some tower that leans. Very poor construction, if you ask me.