Assisi

Assisi

Monday 29^th July

Hotel Berti breakfast alongside the Porta San Pietro in the shade from the summer sun watching the new arrivals pour in - one moment hot & bothered, gesticulating, pointing but by the time they have traversed the 8 metres width under the Porta  they are smiling and happy. How does this occur? Is it a miracle? No! It is the simple psychology of a good story which has withstood the test of time and now has become part of us. E spiritus di San Francesco e San Clarissa – the idea that the humble, gentle,  good-hearted,  nature-loving, non-judgemental, easy-going  innocent will be looked after by the gods seems to be in the streets of Assisi and everything seems much more relaxed than Rome and even Orvieto – but it could also be that there is more money here than in either of the aforementioned places. This is the most beautiful place so far. And I cannot imagine that we will have another 5 weeks like this first week when every day has been filled with one unique moment after another, at every step the views and images change but never for the worse.

San Pietro – beautiful & moving, very detailed nativity scene and good modern sculptures.

Roman Forum – an excavation of the forum which existed in front of temple Minerva but which is now underground – another example of the Italian lasagne effect (for those wondering please refer to previous blogs)

Santa Maria Sopra Minerva – the temple Minerva had been sequestered by Rome/the pope/the  Catholic chuch and refurbished accordingly. It makes one wonder what idea it will embody in one thousand years?

Gelato – Mary requires  a gelato hit every lunchtime-today’s flavours were: fragole,  crema and melone

San Rufino is the oldest church (after the patron saint of Assisi) in the town and adorned with your pre-byzantine style of sculptures: lions chewing the heads off Christians are on either side of the main entry to the church, strange creature devouring each other’s heads surround the architrave of doorways, strange shaped humans working  glumly at unidentifiable tasks – all very first millennium.

Rocca Maggiore – (not Sav), view to Rocca Minore (not Anthony). But just as Sav and Anthony could take the spectacular high mark– so does this old fort provide the best 360 degree view of the Umbrian landscape from the heart of Umbria.

Roman Amphitheatre – which is now a hotel but the first century walls remain as does the first century communal laundries which included a named & separate laundry for the noble & well-connected.

Santa Chiara – extraordinary crypt and tomb with articles of clothing made by Saint Clare for Saint Francis and for herself. She was the saint for poverty and humble manual labour (so we all still have a chance for a sainthood). Dick does not think the tomb is as moving as the tomb of Saint Francis as surrounding  the tomb of St Francis were his 4 best mates.

Total time - 7 hours, total distance maybe 8-10 km, total cumulative height climbed =approx. 2 km at gradient 20-25% or so it seemed phew.