Assisi and Perugia

Assisi and Perugia
A five hour train trip from Venice brought us to Asissi, where our host Alessandra picked us up at the train station. Then she and her family—husband Fabio, Lorenzo (7) and Sophia (6) graciously hosted us for 2 nights through a Homelink hospitality exchange. We hope they come our way next or perhaps we will meet them in New York for a third location visit in the future. We adore them all.
Staying with a local family is a wonderful experience—seeing the town through their eyes—the church within the church at the Basilica dedicated to St. Francis, the hilltop medieval cobblestoned piazza full of lively kids and families at 11 pm at night, the Etruscean castle in the heart of Perugia. There were many highlights: Catherine also went for a 11 km run with Fabio at 6:30 am, part way up the Assisi hilltop and Hersh visited Santa Tecla, the Franciscan monastery he camped in 33 years ago. Sierra played with the kids in the pool, hammock, sang Black Eyed Peas songs together, and did Sofia’s hair and makeup. Despite not being able to speak any Italian and them, and the kids little English with us, we developed a wonderful connection. Ale is an English teacher, and was a fantastic interpreter for us. We figure 2 months together and all would have 2 languages down pat. It may happen someday…
ASSISI HIGHLIGHTS:
• The beautiful rolling Umbrian hills
• Seeing Assisi by night, the sparkling lights in the valley, the rambunctious local kids playing football and other games
• Perugia – walking through the Piazza, eating GROM Gelato: a business of local slow food gelato that would surely be a hit in Canada. Wow! It was amazing…
• The view from the top of Perugia, of the rolling hills, seeing Spoleto, Assisi, and other hill towns in the distance
• Dinner on the second night in a restaurant, outdoors on cobble streets and narrow curving walls of the old city of Assisi
• Meeting and being hosted by this wonderful family – now, friends.