On the train, back in time

Saturday Maggie and I caught an early train from Roma to Assisi. When I say caught I mean we ran for it. We had boarded the train way down the platform and realized we did not know how to validate our tickets. A nice woman told us we must do it on the platform. Two minutes before our train is about to leave we book it to the end of the platform and back just in time. A two hour train ride takes us out through Umbria (with a brief stop at the Spoleto station! don't worry I'll be back) and to the station at Assisi where we must take a bus up the mountain to the town. This blog post really has a part two on my facebook page where you can take a look at the accompanying photo album, the story is not complete without it. What a beautiful surprise Assisi is. I can truly say Assisi is one of my favorite places on earth. The views are magnificent, the Basilica of Saint Francis is astounding and the town is a maze of streets winding up to the fortress Rocca Maggiore upon the hill. Maggie and I went without a map wandering through the streets of the city, walking up and down stairs, following arrows, not following arrows, stopping to sit or play or read or listen to music. Our first stop was the Basilica di S. Francesco. The building has an upper level, lower level and crypt where St. Francis lies buried. The upper and lower levels are covered floor to ceiling with the most marvelous frescos depicting the old and new testaments. These are thought to be the work of Giotto. Sadly no photography is allowed inside but I highly recommend a google image search if you have the time because it is truely the most briliant, vibrant and theatrical church I have ever been in. The crypt is something like what I imagine the last scene in Romeo and Juliet to look like. After the church we began to wander the town stopping at a swingset and picnic table with a great view. We stopped for lunch at a restaurant with a patio over looking the valley and vegetables growing around the tables. I had a fantastic barbeque lamb dish and Maggie raved about the pepper to sauce ratio in her liguini in salmon cream sauce. We shared the house red wine which was light and delicious. After lunch we had gelato by a fountain with lions on it in the main piazza. Best pistacio gelato period. More wandering led us to the Basilica di S. Rufino which has plexiglass over part of the chapel floor so that the crypt underneath is visible. We continued to wind our way up the mountain the the Rocca Maggiore, a fortress which for me was like being allowed to roam a many hundred year old castle. The views from the top are magical. We had to laugh because the map to the Rocca Maggiore boasted an Enchanted Garden which was, I guess, not in bloom this time of year. A leisurly stroll back down the mountain lead us once again to the swing set where we chilled out for a while and then to the Basilica of St. Francis where we loitered to watch the carpenters and electricians setting up an outdoor stage (me) and the people who brought their dogs (Maggie). By sunset we were headed back down the hill to the train station where we stopped at McDonalds for dinner (don't judge). Assisi McDonald's is much like the town, middle ages themed, look at the pictures. Also they have waffle fries which are too cool. Then we road the train back to Roma, watching The Office and listening to This American Life.
If you have made it this far through the blogpost thank you for humoring me. Perhaps a play by play was too much. However it was my first favorite day in Italy and a place I hope to return to over my life; I hope to bring some of you with me.