Part 3 of a 3 part series on Siena.
I Spy on the People of Siena
My sister Jackie taught me this during our Cinque Terre trip. Pay attention to the people who live in a place and as often as possible, sneak photographs of them. In Siena, I fell briefly in love with the white-haired woman overlooking the street from her wide balcony. She simply looked down to see what was going on and I saw her, giving her a gentle Buena Sera. Her smile was huge as she Sera’d me back. I gave her a wave, which she returned, and further down the street, I turned to wave again and snuck a photo of her.
Men with canes or with their hands clasped behind their backs, capture my heart with their soft smiles in response to my Buon Giorna or Buena Sera—hoping I have marked the passing of day to afternoon correctly. Wisely they seem to mostly ignore the tourist throngs until someone actually looks at them, sees them, speaks to them. I love looking at people—having learned that eons ago on a trip to Germany. He was dressed as dapper as an elderly gent could be. As he passed my table to take his seat, he looked at me and I at him and for one brief moment, we connected.
I love that about traveling.
I Love Seeing the People of Siena
Our first day in Siena, we went into an Entocea—a store—owned by Frederico and bought aged Grappa. This is the only Grappa worth drinking. Where I can drink wine decanted in the same year it was bottled, grappa is an entirely different beast. Much like young blended scotch versus aged single malt, you do not want to drink young grappa.
Frederico’s Father 
Frederico’s father
The proprietor was so nice we went back to get an inexpensive Chianti and a Brunello that we could never afford at home. Where the wine is made, it ranges from E30 to well over E500. Well above our taste range! This is the vintage of wine first brought to my attention by, Under the Tuscan Sun. The book, not the movie. Brunello is one of the premier wines of the area. Better than the wine was getting to purchase it from Frederico’s father. What a delight! He spoke little English and our Italian is limited to greetings and food. Yet, with facial expressions, up and down, he conveyed to us which wines he would purchase and why.
He saw me eyeing the entrance to the wine cellar. Switches were flipped, lighting the way, and he went before me. Thank God—literally I thanked God—he held onto the handrail because he missed a step and nearly fell onto the stone surface. I think my heart actually stopped for a moment until I knew he was safe.
He explained with motions and Italian that I understood, that the room was carved by the Etruscans, by hand, many, many centuries ago. It maintains, year around, the perfect temperature for his son, the Sommelier, to keep his wine. Like being in all of Italy, standing there was standing in history.
The movie
Also from Under the Tuscan Sun—this time the movie—I understood the repetitious beating of the drums and the flag tossing taking place in the schoolyard across the way from The Athena (our hotel). One night it was adolescents, practicing and perhaps in great need of it. Another evening it was older, more experienced flag throwers and although in the distance, I enjoyed our free show.
You can treat wait staff like servers, or you can ask them questions and get a glimpse into the fullness of their lives. Christian, bartender at the Athena, shone when he spoke of how much he loves living in Siena, his city. These historical places we visit do not equate to Disneyworld’s Epcot center where everyone is a performer. The people who live in the cities and towns I tour are part of the very fabric of the ambiance, of what makes it the place I want to be.
You can let people serve your wine and food, you can pass them by with barely a glance and be nothing but a transaction in their day or you can create mini, momentary friendships with people, truly seeing the uniqueness of them.
Determination & speed 
Relaxing Reliance 
Stopping to see 
Heading to a shop Making his way
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Read: Places for your soul
I love sneaking photos. I got a really great one of this guy caressing his girlfriend’s face when I was at the Acropolis in Athens at Sunset. That one private moment of a sneaked photo can really set the imagination spinning. They’re so much more provocative to me than posed photos.
You are right, Jeri–it is so much more fun to catch off guard–be caught off guard. I have a picture a friend took of my Dad and I love the look on his face. Your Athens photo sounds like a story should be created around it. Write on!
Great Post Rose! Yes I love meeting the Locals when i travel. You learn alot about a place from them. I eat where they eat and hang out with them. I enjoyed reading your post and I love the pictures.
Absolutely eat where the locals eat. We have mistakenly eaten in the tourist areas in a couple of cities (Prague and Florence pop into mind) and it has been a costly mistake. Much smarter to follow the locals around!
Wonderful post. My mom taught me to treat serving people well long, long ago and it can be quite interesting. You got rewarded with a trip to a fabulous wine cellar.
“Wisely they seem to mostly ignore the tourist throngs until someone actually looks at them, sees them, speaks to them” is so true. Often if we are just a little friendly and look people in the eye, we are rewarded.
I am so happy that you picked out that phrase, Beth. It truly is a reward to make, even momentarily, that connection with another person!
Your mom was very wise to teach you that!
hi; loved this last part of the post. your descriptions of the people and your example of the way people should live their lives. its the people that matter. you can go through your day without trying to get to know them and be part of their lives but that doesn’t bring you the same kind of joy or experience you get by really seeing and hearing them. i’ve made friends in waiting rooms while riding city buses and when strangers or they were strangers at the time came to my door. thanks for sharing, max
Thanks for enjoying the blog, Max. People make or break every day for each other, don’t they/we? It is a delightful thing to discover a new friendship in a most unusual place!
I love the way you interacted with the people. I can’t imagine going someplace and ignoring the locals – they set the stage for the area.
A friend of mine used to live in Scotland and she went to Italy on vacation years ago. Before she went she took a night school course in Italian. The Italians never treated her as a tourist because she took the time to converse with them.
Sounds like your experience.
The photo I enjoyed best was the one of the couple. That seemed so poignant and tender.
I am impressed with your friend’s ability to speak Italian! I used to be able to speak/understand kindergarten German, but have let that slide. It was fun to be able to use at least a few words for the locals.
That couple…I could have followed their gentleness all over town.
No matter where you are the most interesting thing is always the people. No matter how grand the architecture, how great the food or how beautiful the scenery, you leave a place you that visit with an impression that is most influenced by your interactions with the people there.
Eloquently put, Ken!
Great post. The people who live in the cities and towns certainly are part of the very fabric of the ambiance. Our travel experience can be so enriched and we can learn so much when we take time to notice and interact with them.
Well said, Donna. Having once lived in a tourist town, I was always amazed by the tourists who wanted nothing to do with the locals. Ah, the interesting characters they missed out on!
Looks like you had a wonderful experience taking in the culture; food, music, entertainment!
Nothing better than meeting the locals and listening to their stories. I like your statement;
“You either see a waiter, or a new friend”.
Traveling can either just be a trip or a total involvement of self. I like that latter approach and still get home having missed things! Thanks for reading, Phoenicia.
Love this….I still remember the smiles of the “gelato lady” in the Cinque Terra as we were seeing her Every. Single. Day.
Ah, Seester…the gelato lady! I’m so glad that she was there last year when I got to Manarola again. And her Seester was working with her!
Ok…now that you got the wine, the agent will come:) I love hanging around with the locals too, no matter where I have bee. It’s so interesting to see how people live; how their customs vary from ours. I love that you are such an observer! But that’s typical of writers, yes? There is a lot to be learned from those conversations with servers…even here in this country! The difference is that in Europe, being a server is a profession rather than here where it is just a job to get through college. So happy that you could experience the local flavor of Siena. The photos are wonderful!
Glad you enjoyed Siena (again!) with me, Jacquie. You are right about the servers and engaging with them rather than treating them with slave-like indifference. When I worked in HR, I would always ask the receptionist how the applicant treated her. If the person was nice, that said one thing, if they treated her like a peon, that sure told me something else entirely!