Italy

We drove from Venice down to Umbria. The Foligno plain, near  Perugia. Dani's Nona lives in Foligno with her son Carlo. Carlo had organised a hotel for us, not far away that overlooked Bevagna. Above is part of the view from where we stayed. At 3 o'clock is the old town of Bevagna (Bev-un-ya), at 9 o'clock is the city of Assisi, which St Francis of made famous, and the big hill behind Tai is Monte Subasio, which we drove over (1250m above sea level) one day.

Close up of Bevagna from our hilltop hotel

A local goes home for lunch in Bevagna

The main piazza in Bevagna, unfortunately it was being maintained and there were three different construction sites in the one sqaure :(

Still in use, especially  in the regions.

Umbria: olive groves, grape vines, rolling hills, stone cottages. This was taken from the road that leads across the ridge top from where our hotel is, towards the old town of Montefalco, looking down on the opposite side of the hill from the photo above with Tai in it. It is beatiful county, every  piece of ground fulfilling some purpose (related to food or shelter), just like Switzerland but not as green (and no 'dinka-donka' cows!).

Umbria: grapes = wine

Red roses grow at the end of every second row of vines

Prices vary, but all over Europe you pay to pee. This one was 0.5 Euro

Paying to go is not enough. Education is very important, especially for 'the gentlemen'!

Each day we were in Umbria we would see Zio (Uncle) Carlo. We would also pay a visit to Nona in Foligno. First day we visited Bevagna, second day we went to Assisi. Assisi is built on a foothill of Mount Subasio. Carlo met us after lunch in Assisi and took us up and over Subasio, explaining the history of the place as we went. The Etruscans were the first guys here, herding sheep for their keep.

A view up the hill in Assisi. The cathedral spire is just visible at the top.

 

It started as a curiosity! Street drain grates are so diverse!

This is Assisi seen from Subasio. It sits on a spur of the mountain, overlooking a curve in the valley. To the right hand side of the picture is the castle/fortress that overlooks the city, with Assisi spilling down to its left.

A drinking fountain

The cathedral of St Francis, seen from the piazza on the western side.

Columns and capitals of a lesser church dedicated to St Francis and his order

The cathedral of St Francis from the north (I think) face. This cathedral was built over the top of an earlier church. Right over the top. You walk into the cathedral you see above, and take a set of stairs down to another church. From that lower church you take another set of steps, down, to an older church that holds a stone sarcophagus in a coffin shape that contains the physical remais of St Franis hisself. So there are three churches one on top of another, each one larger and younger than the one below.

This is an old Roman temple, in the middle of Assisi. The town had been inhabited for a long time before Frank came along!

Minestrone

Pigeon = yum

Another great Assisi grate

Fountain, church and   piazza in the centre of Assisi (near the restaurant we had lunch).

Brides of Christ make their way down the streets toward the cathedral

Looking down an alley out over the plain toward Bevagna and our hotel.

Front of cathedral of St Francis, the walls are covered (inside) with painting by Giotto, huge ones 6x6m

Carlo and Rosanna

Boys have been good and well

Most of the time!!!