Medieval Toilette Robots

Bus tour day of the Tuscany region.  The same driver that picked us up by the docks in Venice and brought us to Florence, Claudio and our tour guide Lavinia took us to San Gimignano and Siena.... it was good to see Claudio again.

In San Gimignano we had a couple hours to explore and we found ourselves at the top of the walled city - they were having some kind of historical reinactments throughout the town.  Many folks were dressed in period clothing of the 14th century and we even witnessed a man in shackles being escorted through the streets.  The highlight was a medieval BBQ that we stumbled up and and it being 11:30 with stomachs grumbling from the bus ride, the Vances 4, Lisa and Connor decided to eat.  The mixed grill was exceptional and it felt good to tear meat from bone with fingers and teeth as they did in the old days.  

After eating a traditional meal in an ancient town we hit the WC before boarding the bus.  This however was no traditional toilette... actually it was a Toilette Robot equipped with an auto payment system and self cleaning capabilities.  We first tried to trick the robot by sending more than one person into inside at a time and this worked only so many times before Helen was caught in a cleaning mode!  We all managed to relieve ourselves and make it back to the bus in time to head off.
 
Next town, Siena, one the best kept examples of a medieval town in Italy.  We headed straight for a restaurant so that those who didn't eat at San Gimignano could get lunch, those that did got a second lunch.  The main square or piazza is much different than any remember seeing in Europe or S. America.  A semi-circle amphitheater which immediately looks like the best venue for a music event.  We ate right in the piazza and I decided not to venture off but to catch up on "the blog" while enjoying a birra under the misting tents provided by the restaurant.

Back to Florence for the evening.