Easy Peasy to Assisi

We did the ‘easy peasy to Assisi’ bike ride this morning. Along the way, we encountered a few of the wild horses that live on Mt. Subasio. They were grazing on grass, but one little guy (extra) smelled the oregano I had picked earlier that was growing along the path, and started nipping at my pannier. How cool is that?! Wild oregano AND wild horses! He/she wouldn’t stop chewing my pannier, so I rode away, laughing and shouting, “stop that!” The little horse chased me a short distance, then started grazing again. Our mission today was to visit the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, which is below Assisi, just past the train station, and an easy downhill ride, whoopee! The huge basilica was literally erected around a little 4th century chapel that was restored by St. Francis himself in the late 12th century. A little church inside a big church, just like nesting Russian dolls! St. Francis figured out his life’s mission here, so this place is another Franciscan pilgrim hotspot. The Basilica is currently under heavy duty renovation - inside and out. The ‘Basilica in bondage’ is easily seen from the train station (extra) its scaffolding criss-crossed by the train overhead electric power lines. The Assisi train station (featured blip) ranks high on the cuteness scale, and is perhaps one of the prettiest stations in all of Italy. To get back ‘home’, we rolled our bikes onto the train for the short ride to Spello, followed by the heart-racing, sweaty uphill climb to our apartment. We wonder if, and hope it will, get easier.