Assisi

...Then on Sunday I went to Assisi. Once again the city's beauty and tranquility worked it's magic on me. Prior to leaving, I attended mass at the Basilica of San Francesco and then stayed for the vespa prayers. Unfortunately, I dwindled as I walked to the bus stop and missed the last connecting bus to the train station by 2 minutes. As a result the return journey to Firenze which would have taken 2.5hrs by train, ended up taking me 12 hours to complete (i.e. two bus trips & 3 train rides). I got home at 6.30am!!! Despite this however, I enjoyed the overnight adventure, the different people I met along the way and the coffee stops.. and I was glad that I had my pashmina with me.

Self Portrait whilst having lunch at Ristorante degli Orti, Assisi

(Above) Giotto's fresco of San Francesco in the Basilica San Francesco (inferior) Assisi, (below) religious statues, wooden rosary beeds & memorabilia.

Street scenes & vistas in Assisi: (above) Via San Francesco leading to the Basilica of San Francesco; exterior staircase leading to the superior chapel of the Basilica; marble detail from the exterior of the Basilica; (below) landscape view towards the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, Assisi.

A typical day in Assisi; (below) washing, spring cleaning and attending church services and vespa prayers.

(Above) A young couple outside the Basilica San Francesco - she patiently waits while her beau finishes his detailed phonecall; Assisi youth gather to speculate about the activities of their peers; (below) A young babe sleeps while his mother waits at the train station in Perugia to commence their long journey home.