Wecome to Siena. Prego!

OK, we made it to Siena. My mother drove 11 hours yesterday, nearly had a breakdown at the American Base in Vicenza, and yelled at me at every opportunity. She does NOT handle stress well. Holy Jesus. Italy is amazing, but traveling with my mother could earn me a sainthood. In fact, this city is the home of St. Catherine, who locked herself in her room for 3 years for ascetic purposes. Whatever that means. She was the last of 25 children. And she received stigmata. I'm receiving sharp pains in my temples. Perhaps this is the 'crown of thorns' stigmata beginning to appear.

It is beautiful here. We went to a Gothic cathedral. It is breathtaking. 172 pope heads are carved into a layer of the vaulted ceiling. I know this because my mom followed me all around the place, reading the guide book to me. She asked me if I wanted the audio tour. I said no. She didn't hear me.

Then we ate ice cream. Mine was tiramisu and slightly disappointing, but my duck breast with green pepper at lunch was absolutely delicious.

My momster is spending so much money and she wants us to have 'fun' so badly, but she is driving me insane. She doesn't want to shop in any of the leather bag stores and she got mad when I wouldn't let her buy this ugly wall hanging with a knight on it. I told her she would get it home and then realize that she didn't want it on any of her walls. She looked dejected, so I told her to go get it and I would carry it back to the hotel for her. Too late. I'm evil. She sulked out of the store and gave me dirty looks all day.

I would try to make her happy, but I really don't know how. I'm tired. She is already talking about all these places she wants to go in Germany when we get back. I DON'T want to get into a car with her again for longer than 45 minutes!!!! Help.

Ha ha. I just saw an old man almost get run over by the street cleaner. Don't worry, the street cleaner went around him. It was a near hit, though.