Day 25 - Tuscan countryside

Today we had booked ourselves on a day tour by bus to San Gimignano and Siena and a Chianti winery. We had arranged to be picked up at the corner of the Piazza at 8:10 in the morning. We were up bright and early and on our way when disaster struck. Just outside our building is a kerb which was mostly invisible due to the presence of a couple of large outdoor restaurants. I saw it just in time but Warwick didn't and managed to roll his ankle. He was clearly in pain but decided to press on regardless.
First stop was the medieval hilltop town of San Gimignano, which involved an uphill climb to the village square and the possibility of climbing one of the many towers that are a feature of the town. Real people still live there but they have stuffed the town full of eateries and souvenir shops. Warwick was bearing up fairly well but not inclined to climb anything much less a tower. So we contented ourselves with a sit-down in the square and appreciation of the views.

Then on to a winery where we were to sample chiantis and other Tuscan wines. The roads seemed impossibly narrow for the bus and there were a couple of close encounters with cars. Another uphill walk got us to the winery. By this time Warwick was in serious pain with the ankle and feeling very unwell - clammy and faint. I was having nightmares about what we would do if the foot was broken or he couldnt last through the day. Ambulance trip to Florence? We do have travel insurance but the logistics could be horrendous. We had no painkillers and the tour group couldn't help either. On a Sunday there were no chemists open. Luckily a couple of English ladies came up with some panadol and he revived slightly.
On to Siena, a truly beautiful town with an old medieval quarter. We were to have a walking tour but we ended up spending the afternoon in the restaurant where we had lunch. On the way back we stopped at a medieval fort but had to remain in the bus.
The Tuscan countryside is beautiful with vineyards and fields for crops and a surprising amount of forest. The cyprusses are planted near the farm houses and are a distinctive feature of the landscape. I'd like to see more of the countryside one day.
On return to Florence at 7:30 pm there was still a lot of activity and many shops open including a farmacia where I was able to get some strong ibubrofen and an elastic bandage. Let's hope that will help.