We were in San Gimignano in June 2014, almost ten years ago. It's northwest of Siena and southwest of Florence. Amongst the attractions is a torture museum: click on the link for pictures: I have never forgotten it.
This sketch of Clare on a rampart of the city walls gives a sense of the vacation: also the power of current AI systems to synthesise 'art' from a more mundane picture.
The slip roads onto the urban motorway at Siena are short - perhaps a couple of hundred meters - and terminate in an obstruction such as a wall. A large STOP sign helpfully advises in the event of a failure to merge.
As we swung onto the slip road on our way back from Siena, I saw a large lorry barrelling in on the slow lane. An instantaneous calculation concluded that I couldn't beat it so I slowed, keeping an eye on the looming wall.
I was preparing to sweep out behind the truck as it zoomed past, just before running out of road. I even began to steer the car on a convergence course.
The rear of the lorry never appeared; the vehicle became endless. Somehow I avoided steering into it or ramming the end-wall. I came to a juddering halt, not without inducing catatonia in my near-side passengers who were inches from becoming the meat in a metal sandwich.
Later, catching it up, we saw it was indeed a double-lorry, one pulling a trailer of equal size.
Pix below include the interior of the church of San Dominico wherein lies the head of St Catherine, a holy relic and Siena Cathedral - a wonderfully elaborated and adorned structure. Also the Campo fronting City Hall.
