Beautiful one day, perfect the next

Basilica San Francesco at dusk (view from the restaurant)

The performance of Chiara de Dio was again a wonderful experience and everyone was delighted and moved by the beautiful story of St Clare’s life of faith in dance and song. Afterwards we had dinner in a restaurant overlooking the Basilica of St Francis. It was a clear balmy evening and we had a spectacular view of the sun setting behind the ancient bell tower. When we came home all but Norm played ‘Queens’ card game. (Jan won, but she’s not bragging - much!!!)

Monday morning saw Annette & Norm and Fay & Karl up bright & early for their three day trip to the Cinque Terra on the north west coast of Italy. We loaned them the car so we had to stay put – such a hardship to spend a relaxing day reading, eating, drinking, playing Scrabble eating, napping, reading…..

Typical street in these charming hilltop towns

Birgitta rang around 9am next day and invited us to join her and her guests for the day. Piero picked us up and we enjoyed a second breakfast with them along with Birgitte’s mum, her sister and family and another German couple and their daughter. It resembled the day of Pentecost with most speaking German, a couple Italian and us English. Fortunately Birgitta had the gift of interpretation, but it must have been exhausting for her! We sat at the table for a long time and then lunch appeared around 3.45. We were even invited for dinner but I hate to think what time that was going to be. We came home tired but enriched by the company and Birgitta and Piero’s generous hospitality.

Lunch with the German crowd at B&P's

As you can tell, we are having a wonderful time. Weather continues to be magnificent, rarely a cloud in the sky and around 30 degrees every day.  Our guests returned about 4.30pm the next day having enjoyed their sojourn by the seaside. Jan cooked a delicious and almost Aussie roast pork dinner that night.

Norm elected to stay home on Thursday while the rest of us did the ‘Francis crawl’, as Marg calls it. Firstly the Basilica of St Francis, then San Damiano where Francis heard Jesus call him into ministry, and then Rivotorto where Francis and his first friars lived in humble huts.  Annette couldn’t get over the Rivotorto church having a couple of replica stone huts inside it, showing how Francis and his Brothers lived.

After some (more) shopping, we set up the new BBQ at home and while the ladies made the salad the guys cooked the meat - just like back in Oz!. We played cards again and Jan DIDN’T win (she doesn’t want to talk about it!)

Karl and Norm do the Aussie bloke bit for dinner

On Friday Karl chose to stay home while the rest of choofed off to Montepulciano in Tuscany, the home of wine, leather and lots of other beautiful things.  Shopping heaven! It took us about an hour to get past the first few shops. And what would you buy here? Well there’s leather bags and leather bags, and did I mention leather bags? Not surprising, we all bought some leather.  

On Saturday morning it was back into Assisi - Marg & Jan restocked the pantry with fruit and vegetables from the market while the other four went off to do their own thing.

Jan waits patiently to be served

Late afternoon we returned to the small town of Corciano for their medieval market and events. All the townfolk dressed in medieval gear and there were demonstrations of a range of crafts like book making and toys, and scenes from ancient days (two young boys were being taught to shoot arrows). We had a delightful dinner in an open courtyard under the stars in an old convent on a warm summer night.  A perfect evening. We finally headed home about 10.30pm.

A budding boar killer learns how archery from a veteran

We bid a sad farewell to Annette and Norm as they boarded a train on Sunday headed for Rome and home. Birgitta and Piero had the remaining four of us for dinner tonight, another Italian feast of agnello (leg of lamb) roasted over a fire with herbs and lemon – absolutely delicious! -  and home grown produce.

The lamb was cooked by Piero on a small
spit - smoky, tender, delicious

The mild evening was perfect for sitting outside under their huge pergola overlooking a panoramic view of the valleys and hills around their home. Karl couldn’t get over it. Birgitta’s guests have gone so only her mother remained. Of course we had to have spaghetti before we had the lamb! These two are so hospitable, just the right people to run a B&B. Marg & I are helping Birgitta translate her brochure into English so we can promote them back in Australia.

View from Birgitta and Piero's house

There will be no grape picking for us this year - the grapes are just fattening now and it will be another month or more before they will be ripe. Maybe that’s just as well after tasting what we picked last year!

We put Fay & Karl on the train this morning. On the way home we made a little detour to Costa di Trex, a quaint little village across the valley from us, with a gorgeous tiny church from which the bells ring out four times a day.  We were back at the station this afternoon to greet our next guests, a couple of Marg’s old audiologist friends, Marg Dewberry and Genelle Cook. We're looking forward to introducing them to our favourite places and friends over the week they will be here.