Assisi Trip

Last weekend we went to Assisi. We left sunny Rome on Thursday afternoon and arrived the orange-lit medieval city at around seven in the evening.

We sketched, snacked and shuffled around Termini, Rome's main trainstation, for a while before boarding the blue regional train. It took some going back and forth between cars to find four vacant seats that were near each other. In our compartment we met a nun who's aquaintance turned out to be a gift that will make our first trip to Assisi unforgettable.

Arriving in the evening is a way to set yourself up for a surprise. The sun lit the morning and our first view of the city. Assisi is an old medieval city in the state of Umbria. This is about two hours north of Rome by train. Traveling is easy, we ask our professors for advice and the trenitalia website is helpful.

Parliamo in Italiano

Throughout our stay we made the effort to speak Italian with each other. We walked around with mini-ditzionarios in our pockets and opted to make gestures rather than say words in English. This atmosphere that we created with each other has become a safe refuge where what Nadia said earlier last month, really was the mantra: Non ti preoccupare.

Notes:

Forse= maybe

avere/siamo + verb, drop the last part and add 'ato' or 'eto' = past tense

Stai comodo

Stai

perdere-perdersi/ vincere= to lose/ to win

Speriamo di ritornare in primavera= we hope to return in spring

Credere= to believe

Credo che= I believe that

Hospitality

On Saturday and Sunday we had lunch (il pranzo) with the nuns.

We also met a delighful man at a cafe on Via di San Francesco. I rarely use the word delightful but man this man was delightful. Alex described him as sweet and he also said he wouldn't usually describe a man as sweet but he was. He put on his glasses as he sprinkled cocoa on the cappucino and held placed his had on his chest to keep his tie close. When we were stubborn and slow while speaking Italian he was enthusiastic and patient. After a handful of visits to his cafe throughout our stay he wanted to see our drawings and so we had a show-and-tell on our last day.

Who was San Francesco?

Take a moment to read this Franciscan prayer

The nun on the train lived in many cities and believes that Assisi is the most peaceful. There you will walk by many olive trees and light stones and in the evening everyone sleeps soundly.

San Francesco is Italy's patron saint and comes from Assisi. He lived the life of luxury and troublemaking and then his life turned 180 degrees and he devoted his life to God in a life of poverty. When he wanted to meditate, he walked 4 km out of the city to a sanctuary called Eremo delli Carceri. Together we walked along what is now asphalt but our walk was well paced. There were patches of dry snow in the shade but the sunshine kept us going. An ancient olive tree, 180+ years old still stands, braced with metal scaffolding because it was the tree that St. Francis used to meditate under (Buddha's life comes to mind). He worked hard to seek people in far places to promote peace. His intstrument was his own life. He is loved for his humility and humanity.

Travelling together.Viaggiare insieme

This was my first trip outside of Rome and a very refreshing one. I felt recharged and ready for Rome again. We arrived and it was warmer and the cars were honking but I wasn't bitter. This is Rome. That was Assisi. We have the luxury of Travel.

My roommate and dear friend, Lois, at Angelo's cafe

Eremo della Cerceri

Alex, Dorion and I on the way to Eremo

Our meal one night!

Lois' lemon sorbet was served in a frozen lemon!

On the train ride home to Rome

Basilica di San Francesco

Alex drawing Dorion in Angelo's cafe

Basilica di San Francesco

Assisi is medieval and hilly

My friends, Dorion and Alex

San Francesco

Drawings from a castle which had a view that looked over the town

San Pietro, Assisi

There will be many pages of train drawings at the end

A tree near Rocca Maggiore

Dorion drawing Alex at Angelo's cafe

Courtesy of Lois' photo library- us and the sisters!

We look forward to Assisi Trip II!

Adesso

means NOW in Italian

Sketchbooks so far

Goin to the Rome Depot

Only ten minutes away from the Cenci and deep in the alleyways of Rome lies a lumber store...

Musei Vaticani

There are 40 hUGE frescoes frescos freskos of the different regions in Italy in this 120m long gallery in the museum

Maddie, you would love this.

Here, I took these photos for Katelin Gibbs!

You are Sunshine.

 

Modern Art Section

Capella Sistina

Plan, perspectival then landscape

Map of Rome from the Map Gallery 

Giorgio Morandi

I'm still waiting for that Mediterranean sun everybody keeps talking about. It rained all day today. Lois and I spent most of the day indoors- the Vatican's doors. We took the 40 bus to Piazza S.Pietro. Note: 271 takes you back to Arenula, a block from the Cenci. Upon entering we were shuffled around in an international mess of people. The lobby of the Vatican state, equipt with metal detectors and multi-lingual attendees, was like an airport. Ecalators that scaled the grey granite walls. We bought tickets at a glass booth that made me feel like I was going through immigration. Still, we walked with our heads tilted back the entire time trying not to get in anyone's photos. Armed with our Blue Guides, digicams and sketchbooks, Lois and I ploughed through to the Capella Sistina. Shhhhh "please down the stairs" and every five minutes or so electronic chimes would preceed a multi-lingual PA voice that told you to behave. The light through the windows above was dim. People used their flashes to steal a frame of the Sistine Chapel to take with them. We were lucky and sat on the side and drew and looked up and drew then looked up and drew.

Check out the Sedia=Chair Entry, I added more to that from the Vatican.

The song that has been stuck in my head

Rocky Raccoon
Now somewhere in the black mountain hills of dakota
There lived a young boy named rocky raccoon
And one day his woman ran off with another guy
Hit young rocky in the eye, rocky didnt like that
He said Im gonna get that boy
So one day he walked into town
Booked himself a room in the local saloon

Rocky raccoon checked into his room
Only to find gideons bible
Rocky had come equipped with a gun
To shoot off the legs of his rival
His rival it seems had broken his dreams
By stealing the girl of his fancy
Her name was magil and she called herself lil
But everyone knew her as nancy

Now she and her man who called himself dan
Were in the next room at the hoe down
Rocky burst in and grinning a grin
He said danny boy this is a showdown
But daniel was hot - he drew first and shot
And rocky collapsed in the corner

Now the doctor came in stinking of gin
And proceeded to lie on the table
He said rocky you met your match
And rocky said, doc its only a scratch
And Ill be better, Ill be better doc as soon as I am able

Now rocky raccoon he fell back in his room
Only to find gideons bible
Gideon checked out and he left it no doubt
To help with good rockys revival

Photo taken in Trastevere

Wednesday/ Mercoledi: Fontana di Trevi con Lois