Sunrise in Siena

Last night, I showed you pictures of our view of Siena at four different times of day – midday, sunset, dusk, and nighttime. Today, I get to show you one more, thanks to my old friend insomnia.

Siena before sunrise! So stunning.

I just didn’t feel sleepy last night at all, so I read until I fell asleep at 2:45a, then I woke up with a start at 4:15a and just couldn’t get back to sleep. I finally went out on the terrace, where I read old email conversations with Paul and with my dad, from my visit to Florence and Siena in 2006. It was fun to be reminded of my feelings and impressions from my first encounters with these amazing cities, along with my strong desire to return some day with Paul. What a privilege to be sitting on a terrace in Siena, with my husband and sons here with me, enjoying the birdsong and the play of light before dawn, living into the fulfillment of those long-ago hopes.

I didn’t capture the actual sunrise with my camera – I got confused about where it was, thinking it had already come up behind some buildings when in fact it instead appeared where I expected, just a bit later than I anticipated (I think my weather app doesn’t take the mountains into account).

The colors of the city and the sky before, during, and after sunrise were just breath-taking.

Not a bad way to spend part of a sleepless night. I went back to bed and slept from 6:30a to 8:30a. Now we’re getting ready to go into town and visit the cathedral museum, the Palazzo Pubblico museum, Catherine of Siena’s home, and, if possible, climb the city wall before the predicted afternoon thunderstorms start. I’d love to send an email to the me of 2006 to let her know that, though it took awhile, some of her dreams have become reality.