Pilgrimage to Assisi

 Sunday 13th August 2023

On a beautiful day, Paul, ben and Izzy and I decided to venture to Assisi. I mean we made a pilgrimage to Assisi, St Francis etc.

But first, breakfast on the hotel with Julius. Great dining room with so much stuff. Very Italian.

Anyway we all voted Ben to drive us to Assisi which was relatively easy until we got close to the town with heaps of people etc. Whose idea was it to on a Sunday????

We found a parking spot at the top of a hill which turned out to be a different hill to St Francis' church but there were lots of churches and things to find. So we made the trek down to  the main plaza, very steep, narrow streets.

A church

We got to the plaza and a church and a fountain. Me done for the day I thought.

Some lovely vistas from the plaza looking down as we were still %^&*high up.

And then we stopped for lunch at a wine shop serving food. They have a name which escapes me but googled and got 'enoteca'.

Antipasti. 

I managed to find a gluten-bloody-free meal of scrambled eggs and tartufi 
(truffle) while the others had more exotic meals as usual.

I was not going to make it to  St Francis' church but Ben and Izzy went to find it while Paul and I made the long trek back up the hill to the car to wait for them. 

A couple of photos on the way. One is of a pastry shop with amazing pastries and cakes. You guessed it, not gluten-bloody-free. But they did have meringue things which might have been ok.

  Photos of the long slow march up looking down the hill.

From the car park. Gorgeous day

Assisi is a beautiful city and so ancient but vibrant. But also very steep and i cant believe i managed down and back up again. (Combination of drugs, CBD cream and a rest day yesterday).

Once all back in the car, the only way out was down the narrowest street in the world. Ben almost needed to remove the side mirrors to get through. But he and Izzy got us safely home.

After a much needed siesta, it was time for the big family dinner again at the deli but with food pre-ordered. It was the 4 of us, Carmine and Tizziana, Manuela, Lamberto (my cousin, son of Ada), Laura and Alessandro(speaks English),  Gianfranco and Patrizia and a couple who were friends of Carmine's one of whom, Fabrizio,  spoke English well.

I had my own gluten-bloody-free antipasto plate, followed by my own special pasta and then a ham and melon dish  for everyone.

My second antipasto plate, nice GF bread even!!!

Some photos of the night:

Ben with Lalla

this is Laura, Ben, Izzy, Gianfranco, Patrizia, Paul Lamberto and Tiziana. I am sitting. 

Carmine took a photo of himself by mistake, or so he said.

Eating, eating eating

Earlier before it got dark. Patrizia and Gianfranco

Manuela

Patrizia and Lamberto

There was a band 

And then at about 11, it was obviously time for ice-cream in Castelraimondo. We all went in cars driven by people who had been drinking but there was little option and we had to have ice cream!

A bit of an anti-climax as only a couple of people had huge ice cream creations, sorry no photos, it seemed rude. We had simple ice cream in a cup. Yes all gluten-bloody-free.

It was a huge day but really lovely. Ben and Izzy got to say tearful goodbyes to all the cousins. Manuela told them she has a spare room at her place in Rome and next time, they have to stay there. Gianfranco was also emotional and cannot believe he got to see dad's grandson etc.  A very special night for all of us.