Blogs from Assisi, Umbria, Italy, Europe - page 2

Drew was up and showered, I was dragging from the day before. Come on dad this is the day we're going to Gubbio. Oh yea! We're going to Gubbio. The first thing Drew requested when we discussed this trip was he wanted to go to Gubbio. You ask where is Gubbio and why? I’m glad you asked; Gubbio is tightly tied to St Francis of Assisi. You know the guy in the cool robe with sandals holding the birds. Well the story has it their was a big bad wolf killing off the folks in Gubbio, so St Francis comes and takes a throne from his paw and everyone is happy including the wolf. Don’t believe me, you’re not the first, pull it up on the Internet. So Drew wanted to see Gubbio, I say ok. ... read more

When Toby and Fiona visited Umbria a couple of years ago, Toby decided that Assisi was his favourite place and so he was looking forward to going back again today. We detoured on the way through Santa Maria Degli Angeli which is where St Francis actually died. The spot is inside a church which is a beautiful building in its own right and which has a fantastic feeling of God's presence.We tried to enter the church, but just like yesterday we were stopped because our shoulders were bare- well Fiona's were and made to cover up with a scarf. At least they had scarves here for you to wear. Harriet is incensed and keeps letting everyone know this is a Christian church not muslim. Nevertheless, once we has finished looking we bought scarves from a local ... read more

Geo: 43.0702, 12.6175Back in the car today. We are off to Assisi. It's pretty cold again. Assisi is the spiritual capital of Umbria. It is beautiful. St Francis of Assisi was born here and one of the most moving places I have visited is downstairs from the lower church of the Basilica di San Francesco: the crypt of St Francis where the saint's body has been laid to rest. We did some serious shopping. I bought a painting ready to go on the lounge wall at home. It's fabulous. After a very average lunch we were back in the car and on the winding road.... read more

Geo: 43.0702, 12.6175DAY EIGHT (8/9) — AssisiI C, U C, We all C AssisiWe had breakfast on the patio of our hotel, surrounded by oleander and olive trees.We then visited Assisi, a well preserved medieval hill town designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its art and architecture. Assisi, of course, was the home of St. Francis, the patron saint of animals and founder of the Franciscan order. It's also home to St. Clare of Assisi, Frank's good friend.We toured the Basilica di San Francesco with a guide, who took us to the lower level first, best known for having the crypt of St. Francis. Then the upper level, with its famous frescoes by Giotto, illustrating the life of the beloved saint. I got reprimanded by a security guard whose job it is to keep tourists ... read more

A small Italian child spit on Tyler. It was freaking adorable. The child got sprayed in the face at a water fountain and we all laughed at him so he enacted his vengeance. We sang at 12 o’clock mass at San Francesco. We walked over to rehearse singing Sicut Cervus, Ubi Caritas, I Can Tell the World, Lux Arumque, and Veni Sancte Spiritus. When we sang Lux just before the service I teared up. We sounded so good and I just felt amazing in the 4-second acoustics. The church was gorgeous and it was magical to hear our voices reverberating in the Cathedral. The mass was boring but I followed some of it and got some of the homily, not that I remember what I heard. We sang well though and it gave me time to ... read more