Assisi

Sheila and I are having a running joke, like who picks the better places, cities, countries... As soon as we landed in Rome, I was all... "See???"

Paris is lovely, and gorgeous, and classic, and I wouldn't ever turn down a trip to France but.... Italy is truly amazing. Rome is so bustling and old and full and delightful. We all just fell in love with it.

So, I win with Rome.

But Sheila wins with Assisi.

Not because it is better than Rome. Just that I'm not sure I would have bothered. But I'm really glad we did. It is lovely to be in the steps of St. Francis.

Sheila and I both decided that we could easily spend a year in Italy. Ireland is my homeland, and it is incredible, and we love it, but italy consists of many more significant towns, and the mediterranean and Michalangeo and, of course the food, the wine and the gelato. Need I say more?

We left Rome early via train to Folingo and then a short train into Assisi. It is quite a large city on a hill, with a new and a medieval part.

We took an over-priced cab straight to our hotel.

We immediately foraged for some lunch.

And gelato.

In a nod to Fitty's comment, I have to say that the fresh pasta here is just incredible. I'm not even really a pasta lover, but I could have it every day. It is thin and soft and full of flavour. For lunch I had a little rammekin of homemade lasagna. Sheila had some pasta with mushroom and olive pesto and the kids just had "regular" noodles, as if there is such a thing. I also haven't mentioned the wine in Italy. We've been in Ireland, mind you, for the past two months, so this, too is incredibly refreshing. In rome we had a bordello that I had never seen the likes of before. It was subtle and I wish I had a better pallate and more words to describe the flavor, look, and feel of it for you. And I get that wine can be exported and doesn't need to be "fresh" but there is something about drinking the wine here that just feels different. Part of it is that we get in a rut at home and buy what we know is good. Here, everything seems to be good and we could see why on the train: vinyards are ubiquitous as are the olive trees, which the kids had never before seen.

The kids were both pretty exhausted and Johnny was definitely not up for another church, so we left them in the hotel with some good internet and Netflix and Sheila and I relished two hours kid-free and headed to the Basilica of St. Francis and his tomb.

The Basilica was incredible. Filled with frescos and its architecture was stunning. But, after having just seen the "Sixteenth" Chapel, you can see how and why Michelangelo just stood out (I recognize that he worked after much of the art created for the St. Francis Basilica was made, but his work is just head and shoulders above the rest). It is amazing to see how all of these works of art have stood through the ages.

Similar to St. Francis. He was just 44 when he did in 1226. To have lived such an amazing life in such a short period of time to have people worshipping you over 800 years later. I know this sounds trite but it boggles the mind. I will write more about Francis in honor of my mom, my brother and Johnny later when I have more time and energy!

Sheila and I wandered through the streets, had a capuccino and picked up the kids for a slow night. We are off to the coast tomorrow and a ship to Greece! For a blast from my past (with Jackie on the same trip but in reverse, see the last picture)!

Assisi welcomes the new Papa!

Assisi for St. Patrick's Day

Lisa and Jackie circa 1997 on our way to Bari after visiting Jeanne. We were too poor to buy a room with a bed so froze all night on the top of the ship.