Two Cities

There are two cities in Siena. The first is ancient. It is formed from man-made canyons coiling their way between buildings, winding down hills, always being delved deeper by the constant flow of human feet. Here are the gelateria, here are the boutiques. Here is the ancient and here also is the new. They have formed a symbiotic alliance, where the first gives its nobility to the second and the second nourishes the first with its life.

The second city sits down the hill some way. It is a shabby city full of faded yellow apartment complexes. Here is a government licensing building, there an old shirtless man looks out from his porch. Here things are neither new nor ancient.