Assisi

It’s so hot here so we decided to go to Assisi as soon as we could get everyone gathered together. It was only 40 minutes in the car but once we got there we found our Google map told us to go to the pedestrian exit of the car park which was in the old town. The car entrance meant a circuitous route through narrow one way systems and all round the hill - twice! We had Ella and Thomas in the car. They were not impressed with us.

The others kept sending messages to meet them at the basilica but the message did not arrive till we eventually got down there.

The old town was so pretty I decided we should just amble down, enjoying popping into churches. We visited the one where St Francis was baptised. The frescos were stunning and the ceiling even more so. Then we went to the church of St Maria which looked like a Greek temple on the outside. (Minerva). Also beautiful. However we did have to rush a bit to find the others outside the basilica.

It was full of frescoes of St Francis, lots of nuns and monks wandering about taking photos (which we got told off for), lovely singing in a service, and his tomb had people lost in prayer. All very hot and busy.

We started off back up the hill but the heat (36 degrees) really got to me. We decided to stop and have some lunch. I couldn’t eat anything as I felt a bit but the others said the food was delicious. #2 daughter had a raw meat salad with fennel and orange and Phil had an octopus salad then truffle tagliatelle. The others celebrated being in Italy with pizzas.

The journey home was uneventful. Thomas and Ella kept us entertained singing his “Leaving First School” song which Ella knew from her choir. We popped in to a supermarket for more urgent supplies from the alcohol pharmacy.

We succumbed to the hard sell by the owners of the 4 Agitourismo houses and have signed up for a “typical Umbrian dinner” at 7.30. It’s meat all the way. I’ll give it a go.

Mr C took my photo outside the Ruffalo church.