charles sennott of our partner global post, the international website, is covering the voting.rles, thank you for joining us. charles, thanks for joining us, stroub the places where voting is under way? are people happening with electing a new government? showing up in large numbers to vote? >> we were out in the polling districts in giza today. i was in a neighborhood that's largely islamist and we were also in a more wealthy neighborhood. there was definitely evidence that this was heavy turnout as there was in the first stage of this election. and everyone we spoke with seemed to be pleased with the way it was going. we did not see any major problems. we saw minor violations like people handing out leaflets. you're not supposed to be campaigning within 48 hours of the vote. we saw campaign posters that were too close to the entrances of the polls. but these were scenes like minor infractions compared to the elections past in egypt where you had serious violence and a sense that those votes were rigged. that those elections were fraudulent. and this time what we heard at leas

charles sennott, global post, thanks. >> thank you. >> ann curry, nbc. as always, tremendous. thank you. >> a pleasure. @=@y

charles sennott, global post, thanks. >> thank you. >> ann curry, nbc. as always, tremendous. thank you. >> a pleasure. >> and join us many of this region's hill towns date back to etruscan times, well before ancient rome. others date to the fall of rome. when rome fell, europe was engulfed in chaos. people naturally grabbed for the high ground to escape the marauding barbarians that characterized those dark ages. over time, these towns were fortified and eventually functioned as independent city-states. in their glory days, they proudly charted their own course, generally free from the dictates of popes or emperors. then, the bubonic plague swept through tuscany in 1348. that, combined with the increasing dominance by the regional bully, florence, turned many bustling cities into docile backwaters. ironically, the bad news of the 14th century mothballed these towns, leaving them with a unique charm and a tourism-based affluence today. siena maintains much of its medieval character. its sprawling main square and towering city hall recall the days when it rivaled even florence.