ann and i got to spend about a week in italy, which was really nice! we had a rental car, which is definitely the way to go when traveling around italy, though the highway tolls do add up pretty fast. first we spent a few days in the region of umbria, known as the heart of italy, partly due to its geographical borders which resemble an anatomical heart in the center of italy, but also probably because of how much character and soul it has. there are many hilltop towns with tremendous history. we stayed in a town called spoleto, known for its annual arts festival. the region is known for its truffles, which were really amazing on some perfectly cooked fresh pasta.
we went to one picturesque little town called spelo, perched on the side of a hill.
we also went to the main town in the region, perugia, which is on the top of a large hill. there was a special street market occurring that day with many samples of free cheese and meats!
near assisi, we visited a nice little winery for a tasting. we then hiked up into the walled town of assisi, which is also on the crest of a hill. this is the assisi where st. francis, one of the most venerated christian saints in history, lived. we learned about his franciscan philosophy which prioritized care for the environment, which sometimes conflicted with the benedictine philosophy which prioritized work for human flourishing; surely there is a good middle ground. in assisi there is an amazingly ornate st. francis of assisi church which was built shortly after his death.
we also went to a little town called panicale, where they have an annual cheese rolling competition! the men of the town form teams and roll a wheel of cheese around the town, seeing which team can get there with the fewest rolls. the whole town came out to watch, and it was a very festive vibe!
