Tuesday, November 30, 2004

Umbria ( Assisi )

Assisi


The first time I came to Assisi was with my Turkish roommate. However, this time, my brother and I took the coach(pullman) from Piazza Partigiani from Perugia to Assisi. During the trip, there were many kids onboard as they are on their way to school and you can imagine the amount of laughter and conversations being exchanged. It is difficult not to stay awake.

It was a complete change in the landscape when we visit Assisi in late November. The lush green vegetation has all turned brown and orangy signifying the arrival of Autumn. Some trees were stripped of their foliages and left with long twigs and thin branches. With dark clouds lurking and cold winds blowing, we decided to seek refuge in a cafe nearby. Seeping our cappuccino, we warmed ourselves before heading up to the hilltop to Fortezza Maggiore for a bird's eye view of Assisi.


On our way back to the city centre, we entered into Bascilica di San Francesco and were appreciating the wall painting depicting San Francesco di Assisi. Next we went to the basement and witness a mass going on. Standing next to a group of German tourists with their Deuter backpacks, we all watched in silence and being respectful to the priests.

Finally it was time to head back to Perugia and we hopped onto the local bus for the train station.