On Monday we visited the Church of St. Francis and the Church of St. Clare in Assisi. They are both special places, and even though I would have loved to have taken some pictures of the frescoes and altars, the 'no photographs' and 'silence' signs helped preserve a peaceful atmosphere for those who come to visit and pray.
Here are a couple of other images of exteriors. They are notable for just how plain and simple they appear--which is, after all, part of the rule of life for Franciscans and Poor Clares!
In the afternoon, we caught the train from Assisi, in the region of Umbria, to Cortona, in the neighboring region of Tuscany. We are staying a couple of miles outside the walled city, at the base of the hill (and it is quite a steep hill). After enjoying this beautiful sunset from the walled city, we walked down the steep hill after dinner to our B & B with the light of this crescent moon (and our flashlights)!
On Tuesday we rented a car and set out for Siena. We just happened to arrive on the day before one of two big horse races that happen each year (one in July and one in August). They pour dirt into the main piazza and create a 'track' that is roughly 1/3 of a mile. The city is divided into neighborhoods, which have flags, scarves, and lots of team spirit. The winning neighborhood gets bragging rights for the year to come! We were caught up in the excitement of the crowds, and were thankful to arrive on the day of the trials rather than the day of the race, when more than 60,000 people will be crammed into the central square! We drove back to Cortona for dinner, and another breathtaking sunset from the old city!
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