Assisi

Picture the most beautiful Tuscan town you can. Don't forget the greenery, the vibrant flowers, the narrow streets, the cobble stones, any of it, then times this by 100 and you have Assisi. The town is still mostly the same as it was one st. Francis roamed the streets and it has only gained charm by its aging. It is set up on a lovely hill affording views of the surrounding farm land and showing the picturesque contradiction of pine trees next to palms. The church was done in a more gothic style which is much simpler and less overwhelming than the overdone beauty of baroque that Rome was full of. The city had just finished a festival and the remnants of flowers and fabric draped around everything were still in someplaces. Vehicle traffic was scarce making the streets perfect to meander through. A tiny little cafe that sat on the site of an old olive press pulled us in and we had the best panini ever! Mine was a traditional Tuscan focaccia with prosciutto crudo, arugula, fresh mozzarella and heavenly olive oil....oh and tomatoes. The duomo had a wall running near it where Mary, Molly and I sat and enjoyed the sunshine and people watching. I find it perfectly acceptable to be a creeper ( aka people watcher) when you are sitting on a ledge in the sunshine in Assisi, and the fact that people are constantly walking back and forth below you doesn't hurt either. I was surprised at the large amount of nuns and priests for such a small city but it makes sense I guess since it is the hometown of st. Francis who started his own order of monks (the Franciscans) and is the patron saint of Italy, but I still don't understand what all the different colors and styles of dresses the nuns wore...different convents and different ranks I get but why we're there so few of each one and they were all together? After assisi we climbed back on the bus to go tonsiena and meet our host families.