Still in Assisi
13th April
13th April
I wake up feeling better - emotionally and from my stomach troubles. I got Zita up at 6 am. There is lots of bird song and sun on the Umbrian valley floor. It's still chilly. It's time for our first run since being away. In both Spain and Italy we have seen only one female and a handful of male runners in six days. Zita feels a little self concious, a female running in Italy.
We head off, up to the city wall, across town, staying on a level traverse and then choosing an obscure little path that takes us more steeply upwards - more like a 'short cut' - like we used to use when we were kids in Karori. We come out onto an upper road on the ridge top. This continues to climb up to a massive hill top castle. There must have been a reason for building such a fortification. Times haven't always been peaceful here. The history of violence and aggression in Europe is a sad and disturbing thing to me.
We can now see over the ridge and along a valley towards retreating lines of forested Umbrian hills. Quite a pleasing sense of remoteness. We drop down into the vilage on the ridge saddle and then paddle down the streets and alleys back to our return road to the Pension. Zita appreciates the run as do I. It always helps to ground me in a new place to go for a run in it.
After breakfast we drive to Perruga. Parking is a problem but finally sorted. We go into a fashion shop (to ask for parking advice) which feels like another planet to me. Clothes the cost of cars! And the inhabitants look somewhat like expensive and exotic cars also.
I spend 2 hours in an internet cafe trying to sort out how to upload photos from my camera to the blog. The problem is that the photos on the camera are too big and I can't get access to any software that will let me edit them down to internet size. I have an idea using hotmail but it doesn't work. So this is still a work in progress. Zita spends time shopping but not buying.
We return to Assisi, have afternnon tea in the main square, share it with two Aussies who are travelling Italy by Bus for three weeks. Both retired for 15 years.
We skip dinner. Zita goes to bed early - I write postcards and play guitar. I then read 'lonely planet' about Florence before sleep. It - Florence - comes highly recommended.
We head off, up to the city wall, across town, staying on a level traverse and then choosing an obscure little path that takes us more steeply upwards - more like a 'short cut' - like we used to use when we were kids in Karori. We come out onto an upper road on the ridge top. This continues to climb up to a massive hill top castle. There must have been a reason for building such a fortification. Times haven't always been peaceful here. The history of violence and aggression in Europe is a sad and disturbing thing to me.
We can now see over the ridge and along a valley towards retreating lines of forested Umbrian hills. Quite a pleasing sense of remoteness. We drop down into the vilage on the ridge saddle and then paddle down the streets and alleys back to our return road to the Pension. Zita appreciates the run as do I. It always helps to ground me in a new place to go for a run in it.
After breakfast we drive to Perruga. Parking is a problem but finally sorted. We go into a fashion shop (to ask for parking advice) which feels like another planet to me. Clothes the cost of cars! And the inhabitants look somewhat like expensive and exotic cars also.
I spend 2 hours in an internet cafe trying to sort out how to upload photos from my camera to the blog. The problem is that the photos on the camera are too big and I can't get access to any software that will let me edit them down to internet size. I have an idea using hotmail but it doesn't work. So this is still a work in progress. Zita spends time shopping but not buying.
We return to Assisi, have afternnon tea in the main square, share it with two Aussies who are travelling Italy by Bus for three weeks. Both retired for 15 years.
We skip dinner. Zita goes to bed early - I write postcards and play guitar. I then read 'lonely planet' about Florence before sleep. It - Florence - comes highly recommended.
1 comment:
Hi there!
Good to hear of you again and to know that you are well. You chose the right time for your trip, the weather is fantastic and feels like summer.
Just by reading your blog I want to go to Italy and Spain to see for myself what fascinates you about it. All those villages with their walls and small streets sound so nice and interesting.
I hope your Mike's stomach is well again.
All best wishes,
Michael & Michaela
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