Pianciano Spoleto

... when sunlight hits it! Again, this basilica also sits right on the edge of a hillside overlook, so the views of Assisi from here were gorgeous.

Inside, the Basilica di Santa Chiara was lovely. Similarly to the crypt of St. Francis, the most moving room here was the crypt underneath the church where St. Clare is buried – another place of deep spirituality and tranquility.

From the piazza of the Basilica di Santa Chiara, we took a taxi (I just wasn’t ...

... villes de la region, orvieto est construite sur une coline et Emilie la gentillement rebatise orvieto "la vile sur une bosse". C'est une petite ville encore fortifier, construite sur une tres ancienne ville creuse a meme la coline. il y a une grosse cathedrale (duomo) comme toutes les villes que nous avons vue, puis il y a plusieur point de vue sur la region.

en fin de journee, nous avons visiter quelques unes ...

... was out for their evening passeo - walk. The gelateria's and cafes were overflowing with people. I spied a deli with a spit raosted pig lying on display in the window and got the best pork sandwich ever!!! Too late to go on we decided to park up. We had accidentially drained our leisure battery so Kim had to cook by torch but the torch battery was running out..so no other choice, we headed for a bar! Life's tough.

... today. That has to be my favorite saint. Very busy here even though end of season. No wireless interent. We have one more day and we start home. I think we are ready to get home. It has been beautiful here and I have learned so much, but all good things must come to an end. See you all next week I hope.

... what seemed like plenty of time to find the hostel. We had a Google map of the town, but it didn't end up being too useful. It's perched up on a hill, and it's full of small streets, many of which aren't even drivable, so the map looked like a jumbled mess, and we couldn't even find where the train station was.

Have no fear, we'll just buy a map at the train station, right? The station is incredibly small, with only one track (unlike many that we'd been to with dozens ...

... more of a motel than a hotel but we liked it.

Dinner was alfresco at the hotel and we had more success with wine discovering a lovely Italian cabernet sauvignon which we continued to enjoy after dinner. We all gathered for drinks under the moonlight out the front of our hotel after dinner and it turned into quite a late night. We really enjoyed ourselves though, getting to know people better and having some good laughs.

... lunch we stumbled on a look-out and found a little Italian family having lunch there as well. We scouted a grassy spot under some trees and laid out our quilt and had lunch. We drank our chilled white wine while eating our pecorino cheese, prosciutto, fresh bread and juicy peaches. I took pictures, Marty read until we both dozed off, while hearing the happy sounds of the Italian family under the bright blue sky and ...

... restaurant to have dinner late, by our standard and arrive a half an hour too early. We had an antipasto as Mike suggested but didn't stop there, we ordered pasta. I had the potato gnocchi with truffles and mascarpone. Marty had the pasta with spicy red sauce. Stuffed with doggy bags in hand, we staggered back down the hill in the cool night air.

... a friend of Mike and Jill’s, drives us to their house near Campello sul Clitunno. We get the full on Italian driving experience and happily arrive in one piece. After a shower and a snack of Mike’s freshly made antipasto of fresh mozzarella, garden tomatoes and homemade pesto, we felt a thousand times better.

Then to dinner with their friends of ex-pats, artist and poets at the local tattoria for more ...

... I had never encountered this and said they were all over the place in Thailand. Another lesson learned. Caught the 5:45 bus and returned to Perugia. Back to the apartment we went very very tired. M went right to sleep for a nap, but I couldn't so I did the dishes and straightened up my room. After this, the doorbell rang. M didn't hear it. I answered and guess who was there? Yep, Signora Ribaldi and Eva, her helper. I thought, thank God ...