Seeing Assisi

After spending Friday evening watching Madama Butterfly in Macerata, I was keen for a lie-in on Saturday morning. It had been a full-on week and, quite honestly I needed a break. Saturday wasn't going to be the day for that: we were going for guided tours in first Assisi, then Perugia.

We had to be on the bus reasonably early so that we could get over to Assisi for about midday. Midday - yes, that's when everything's very cold, right? Readers, I was melting. I had a tomato and mozzarella sandwich in my bag - the tomato turned the bread to mush, and the mozzarella melted just like its owner.

We made our way into the city via the 'self-starting stairway' - yeah, I don't know either - and were treated to a wonderful vista. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and everything was in sharp focus (apart from the horizon which was boasting a heat haze - no surprises there). There was absolutely no breeze. You would have thought that there might have been even a whisper of something higher up. There was not.

We were given a few minutes to ourselves in the piazza where the 'self-starting stairway' had 'self-stopped'. We took some pictures, drank a lot of water, huddled in the shade, tried not to pass out... You know the kind of thing.

After that we embarked on our tour. It was like Camerino in that someone would take us around, tell us some interesting things about the place in which we found ourselves, we would take some pictures, and then leave as more well-rounded individuals.

I had discovered that Bree was very much into the culture thing as was Gaby. I liked to think I was, and so we made a very good team. We were taken in and out of town halls and churches, soaking up the sights, and taking some beautiful pictures along the way.

What I really liked about all this was that we always had our own time. We'd get the chat first off, and then we'd get some time to explore and find out for ourselves what the theory looked like in practice.

My favourite bit, however, was still going to be taking the pictures. I had bought my camera especially for my year abroad I was going to make sure I used it at EVERY opportunity...

 The tour continued. I snapped happily and Bree and Gaby absorbed what nuggets they could for future pub quizzes. I was quite honestly in my element - well apart from the fact that I was sweating like the proverbial pig and I was going ever so slightly faint.

We reached St Francis' church and made it the last stop on our tour. It sits right on the far side of the town as you look at it and it really is a sight to behold. What I didn't realise is that though you can take wonderful pictures looking away from the church, you can't take that picture (the one where you see the church and all the arches clinging onto the hillside) from the church itself - you have to do it as you come into the city. The church itself was very dark and a bit eerie. By now you should know I'm not a big fan of Catholic churches. This one was supposed to have a very famous fresco in - by Giotto, if I'm not mistaken - but strangely our tour guide hadn't let slip that information.

I started to explore a little and soon found that I'd lost Bree, Gaby and Lynette. I mean I wasn't at the stage where I was panicking, but I did feel a little disconcerted about the whole situation. My visiting experience in the [very large] church then became a search for my friends that just happened to be inside some wonderful Renaissance architecture.

I ran into Bree and Gaby eventually and we sat for a while by the arches, looking out onto the plains below. To be honest we were really tired and I certainly wasn't relishing Perugia as much as I might have done.

We started to walk back into the town and ran into Lynette coming out of a shop selling foccaccia. Good idea! I thought and did likewise so that I didn't have to brave my disgusting sandwich. I was also in desperate need of a drink. It turns out Lynette had felt really unwell in the church, had to leave, and gone straight away to get something to eat and drink so that she didn't pass out (or worse). We thought that we'd probably had out fill of sightseeing in Assisi and started to wind our way back via some shops for a spot of retail therapy.

Chiesa di San Francesco, Assisi

Next stop Perugia!