Day 223 Sat 26 May 2007 Ancona to Assisi, Umbria, Italy
Finally we’ve arrived in the historical theme park called Italy after an uneventful overnight ferry crossing from Zadar in Croatia. Comfortable ship and smooth sailing aided by using up our last Croatian kona on the local maraschino cherry liqueur, (sweet but not red). Surprising how many coins we can find tucked away and how many shots they buy.
Dawn sees us driving off the ship through minimal (ie no) formalities into the Italian countryside. Kenny after being dormant since Darwin suddenly springs to life and with only a slight trace of an Italian accent takes us via highways and byways to Assisi where he parks us outside the castle. We tumble half asleep into the narrow geranium filled streets in search of coffee which we find on the steps of a Roman temple to Minerva. Suitably revived we plunge further into the labyrinth of lanes cascading down hill until we are emptied out into the piazza in front of the basilica of St Francis, he of the preaching to birds fame.
We embark upon a visit, firstly to the upper church (there are three above each other) filled with amazing Giotto frescoes from about 1350 depicting the life of St F who rebelled against the excesses of Rome at the time and preached peace and goodwill. Then its downstairs to the lower church, with its equally stunning frescoes, in darker tones and to the crypt where St F is interred. A short walk back up hill brings us to the Duomo and the Cathedral of St Clare with its beautiful rose windows before we return to the car parked high above the town. As we approach a band appears and then a procession of chefs as well as most of the townsfolk, celebrating a wedding or christening, we’re not sure which. We leave Assisi for the nearby village of Ospedalicchio where we find an Albergo in a converted 17C fort with grand rooms.
Dawn sees us driving off the ship through minimal (ie no) formalities into the Italian countryside. Kenny after being dormant since Darwin suddenly springs to life and with only a slight trace of an Italian accent takes us via highways and byways to Assisi where he parks us outside the castle. We tumble half asleep into the narrow geranium filled streets in search of coffee which we find on the steps of a Roman temple to Minerva. Suitably revived we plunge further into the labyrinth of lanes cascading down hill until we are emptied out into the piazza in front of the basilica of St Francis, he of the preaching to birds fame.
We embark upon a visit, firstly to the upper church (there are three above each other) filled with amazing Giotto frescoes from about 1350 depicting the life of St F who rebelled against the excesses of Rome at the time and preached peace and goodwill. Then its downstairs to the lower church, with its equally stunning frescoes, in darker tones and to the crypt where St F is interred. A short walk back up hill brings us to the Duomo and the Cathedral of St Clare with its beautiful rose windows before we return to the car parked high above the town. As we approach a band appears and then a procession of chefs as well as most of the townsfolk, celebrating a wedding or christening, we’re not sure which. We leave Assisi for the nearby village of Ospedalicchio where we find an Albergo in a converted 17C fort with grand rooms.
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