Assisi on Saturday

So for my final trip I went with Jim and Amy to Assisi... The town was nice, but very commercialized on St. Francis and St. Clare. Lots of Souvenir stands for sure. 

Most guide books recommend, take a bus to the top and work done.. Unlike Orvieto,  Assist is on a top of a hill but is not flat at all.  So the higher points are at the top, and then you work down.  

We stopped at the Discovery Station at the train station and we found a group of Americans doing a children's science museum.  They were very helpful and gave us great directions. 

We started at Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli (Church of St. Mary of the Angels) .. This was down the hill near the train station.  

First thing you see is the fountains at the side of the building. 

You have to go pretty far back to get the whole church.

This church was nice, lots of frescos etc..  The claim to fame is that St. Francis got his calling here, and during the 1997 earthquakes 2 art historians and 2 monks were killed when the frescos crashed down.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Santa_Maria_degli_Angeli

Next we caught the bus up the hill.. and had lunch as we waited for the Church of St. Clare to open.  There was a great view.  

the courtyard outside the St. Clare church. 

So this site is so touristy.. so in looking for Francis's house, we were invited to this "museum" that looked like a organized hoarder who owned a sharpie.   As we looked around they had materials and things from the time of St. Francis.. (allegedly).. one of the things that he had was a set of Chastity belts both male and female.. I did not think they made male chastity belt..  So Amy and I were commenting on it..  and the man, rolled up a paper to show us how the male part of the belt worked! Yikes..

The man's demonstration for us.. I had to take a picture, so anyone would believe me)

Next we found the real home of Francis..   They had turned a little storage room into a chapel and it had a great window.  Since so many pilgrims travel to Assisi there are little pop up churches all over.  

This is the Church of Minerva where Francis is said to have gone to church as a child. It used to be a Roman building.. can you tell?

This is the Basicila of St. Francis had three levels - Upper, Lower and Crypt where Francis and his friends were buried. 

upper basilica

courtyard at lower basilica

View from the .60 Euro bathroom in the courtyard.. worth every cent and going into the Men's room to see it!

This is one of the ancient water fountains that people could fill their bottles at .

 

Assisi was okay. but I admit I am tired. 

I had a text from Bridgette to see about apertivo.. and we met her at Bar Stefano. 

Then I talked her into Dinner at Marianos.. The new restaurant next to OUA.. I like the owner he is fun and a flirt, so we can in for dinner.. IT is a little pricey but was good.. I had tomato soup and we both had a mixed meat platter. 

I finally tried grappe.. and won't be doing it again.. YUCK. 

but we had a nice Tiramisu made with a touch of beer.


after that and the wine of the night,  I went to sleep and slept hard.   Sunday is a catch up day.