Italy as it Happened...Day 9

Italy as it Happened...Day 9

Thursday, April 18th

The day started with a hearty breakfast of toast or fresh bread, Nutella, jam, fresh fruit, and cereal, not to mention coffee. We got to sit down and share the meal with Sara (our hosts daughter) as she was getting ready for school. We were feeling right at home, treated like one of the family. This was the first B&B we stayed at where the hosts actually prepared our breakfast for us. A nice way to start the day.

Today, like yesterday and every other day since we arrived in Italy, Kerry and I logged in at least 10 miles of hiking. But, unlike most other days, today's hike was along steep, hilly terrain, a continuation of our uphill trek late yesterday afternoon. It was a good thing that we were conditioned for this walking tour of the Italian terrain. Kerry's regular 6 mile hike in Sabino Canyon and my daily 3 mile run had put our legs in prime condition for this sort of abuse.

We are now at the half way point of our vacation We have done so much and yet there is still so much to do. Our adventure last night, including finding our way home in the dusky light, gave us the upper hand for today's walk-a-bout. Between yesterday and today, we managed to see (inside and out) every basilica and cathedral in Assisi, except for one. That my friend is a lot of walking.

Tomorrow we will think about reaching the Eremo delle Carceri, a monastery located out of the way, almost out of reach (a place where not too many tourist go). Sounds good to me! To get there we will have to get up to the Old City first of all. Then find our way to the upper east gate (we enter the old city at the lower west gate). 

Once we pass through the right gate we will have over 4 km's of steep, switch-back trails to follow in order to reach the monastery. We calculate almost 2 1/2 hours to get there, snap a few pictures before doing the 2 1/2 hour return. Sounds like a Chevy Chase vacation to me (in reference to the movie "Vacation" when Chevy and his family finally reached the Grand Canyon, stood there for a few minutes, taking it all in before jumping back into the car and heading off down the road again.

Thinking about how much we have walked so far and the effort needed to reach the monastery, a Plan "B" popped into my head. We could always get up to the old city, sit in Cafe's all day and people watch. Plan "B" was winning the virtual coin-toss. Plan "B" did finally win the day, with our usual...watch-which-way-the-tourist-go-and-go-in-the-opposite-direction philosophy. And that philosophy led us to basement catacombs & tombs not seen by the average tourist. In a few of the locations Kerry and I were the only ones there. Folks, I am talking about buildings and art dating back to the early 1200's.

My father and I use to visit historical sites in Montreal (and other places). I would always feel an urge to touch the historical structure with a gentle caress, the same way the masters did when they created the structure I was caressing. This was a trait that I learned from my father. "Thanks Dad!" 

The structures I like touching could be (but not limited to); an arch, a door, a pillar, a statue or maybe even a marble wall or floor. For me, when I slide my hand along a joint between two pieces, I am doing the same thing the creator did when he first fit the two pieces together. In that, I am sharing the moment with him, only a thousand years later. Now that is pretty cool (time travel). 

It is a good thing that most museums keep their fine art behind security devises. If they were reachable they would be covered with my finger prints, and the finger prints of many others, I would imagine. I have actually seen people come up behind me and do as I did, as if they expected some sort of magic to happen. What fun...Sometimes when I am touching a statue (or whatever), Kerry will look at me and remind me of how much she really doesn't feel like bailing me out of a European jail. I heed her advice and try to just keep my touching to walls and floors and maybe a statue or two. Touch, touch, touch.

Tomorrow Kerry wants to try something different. She is feeling like quite the adventurer. Our plan, go to the train station early and let's see where the first train will take us. Really?