With a heavy heart, I parted with my family in Rome last December 29, 2010. They were to leave for San Francisco and I for Assisi. I was not very excited about taking a cab to the Termini but I didn’t have much choice given that my hotel was a bit far from the Termini and I just couldn’t spend too much time commuting. It was a smart choice anyhow because I got to see Rome from a different angle, away from the maddening, tourist crowd. All that changed when we entered the confines of the Termini. Ugh, so frenetic and dirty. That’s when I realized that I am now ready for some country living.
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| Train Station in Assisi |
After 3 hours on the train, I finally disembarked in Assisi (with an hour misspent in Foligno – long story). I stepped off the train and looked around me. The station was small but clean. The architectural details of the binario (platform) were simple yet impressive. I thought the font used for the signage was interesting as well. There was also that faint smell of smoke that usually comes from a wood fired oven combined with sweet fragrance of the lush greenery. Then I walked out to hail a cab and saw right in front me, Assisi looming in the distance. This medieval town that sits on the western flank of Monte Subasio located in the province of Perugia in the Umbria region certainly emanates a sense of peace and tranquility, even from a distance (I felt it right away). My short cab ride to Assisi felt like forever but I managed to take a snap as we ascended the mountain.
As we were entering the archway to the city, I felt this strange sensation of weightlessness, as if St. Francis knew why I was there and he came to my rescue. It seemed providential to me (now) that my choice of hotel was in fact, not a hotel but a convent. After settling my affairs with one of the sisters at Casa Papa Giovanni (as in House of Pope John) and with my key in hand, I went to my room. I dropped my luggage, leaned by my window and saw this magnificent view of the city. It was so overwhelming and needless to say, my emotions got in the way of unpacking.
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| My room |
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| My view |
I felt so lucky to have found Casa Papa Giovanni. Not only was it near everything, it was very clean, quiet and economical. I paid 40 euros/night and it included breakfast, lunch and dinner (with wine/prosecco for lunch and dinner). It was an unbelievable deal! After much musings about my views and the general loveliness of the place. I decided to go for a walk before dinner. I went down to the town hall and grabbed a map and started surveying this amazing pasticerria/bar/gelateria. They sold Umbrian pastries, torrone (nougat) and pastries filled with cream, gianduia (sweet chocolate containing 30 percent hazelnut paste) and other sweet goodness.
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| Town Hall |
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| Heaven in a glass display |
After buying some pastries, I went back to the convent for dinner. One of the perils of traveling alone is dining alone. I have never felt so lonely until that night at the convent during dinner. Because it’s a convent and they don’t want to assume that travelers will be okay with sitting with strangers, they set this tiny table for me with one table setting, a bottle of Prosecco Padre (Proseccos is a dry or extra dry sparkling white wine made from Glera grapes) and a 3 course-meal for one. The meal itself was no Michelin-star quality but it was very good. It was so good, I ate the whole lot (probably out of loneliness). They served stelline pasta with lentil soup, penne rigate with tomate sauce and Pancetta and Pollo Milanese with sauteed eggplant. During dessert, this one big table full of pilgrims from Bologna and Vicenza invited me over to their table to eat dessert and drink champagne because of the pilgrims was celebrating his birthday. That was a welcoming end to my dinner. That was also the last time I felt sad during my stay here in Assisi.
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| I woke up to this view of the city |
The one other thing I love about my room (besides the amazing views) was my towel rack. I didn’t realize what it was until I took a shower before bed and reached for my toasty towel. It felt so great wrapping a warm towel around you in the middle of winter in Assisi.
I woke up a little too early the next day so I decided to spend some time reading before heading out. I ended up finishing Lord of the Rings that morning (yes, I have my nerdy moments). Anyway, my first stop of the day was Basilica di San Francesco. As I was making my way up and down Via San Francesco, I was beginning to become more attached and enthralled by Assisi. The cobble stone floors, tiny alleyways, the trees that sprout so commandingly from the lower levels of the city with their canopies reaching the top of Via San Francesco were just too remarkable to justify. When I reached the basilica, it was crowded with tourists and locals alike. The architecture of the church is an amalgam of Romanesque and Gothic styles.
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| Basilica di San Francesco |
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| lower churchyard |
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| Front churchyard |
I was sorely disappointed, however, when I went inside and found out that photography was not allowed but I managed to snap one using my phone 😛
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| Ceiling |
The interior was simple with mosaic tiles along the beams of the nave and fading frescoes. Its simplicity notwithstanding, tourists still flock to this place to either gape and pray or just gape. I admit that curiosity of non-Catholics towards churches amazes me. However, that curiosity sometimes borders on the absurd and ridiculous. It’s one thing to admire the splendor of the church but it is another when people blatantly take photos with flash, pose in front of the altar and treat the entire experience as a photo shoot. There was a family fooling around in front of their camera inside the church and it disgusted me. I guess the disgust was so visible in my face that the mother (setting a great example to her kids) looked at me and walked away. It was just contemptible that some people have abject disrespect for a place this sacred. This church is one of the most important places of Christian pilgrimage in the world. The worst, however, was when I attended mass in Santa Maria del Pi in Barcelona and these people whom I can only describe as unhinged and ill-mannered marched in front of the altar while the mass was ongoing and started posing for photos. Thankfully, an usher asked these cretins nicely to get lost.
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| My Lolo |
One of the main reasons why I went to Assisi was to see St. Francis’ tomb and once I was done at the main church, I immediately went straight to his tomb. I noticed when I paid my respects that there were photos left by visitors in spaces underneath his tomb. I asked one of the Franciscan monks about them and he told me that people from all over leave photos and other mementos of their dearly departed. With this knowledge, I decided to leave this photo above of my grandfather. I felt that it was time to let it go. Now, me and my family have one more reason to go to Assisi.
I visited 2 more churches before I ended up in front of the Chiesa di Santa Chiara (Church of St. Clare). The interior was also very simple save for the ornate apse and white washed walls. This church also has a few of the most important religious relics in all of Christendom. Not only does it have St. Clare’s tomb but also pieces of clothing, belts and socks worn by St. Francis and St. Clare.
After Santa Chiara, I stopped by a ceramic store and bought a few trinkets to take home. Of course, I also purchased the tau of St. Francis (his cross) as souvenirs/gifts for my dad and uncles. I also dined at the Trattoria Pallotta and had an amazing Vitello Alla Griglia (grilled veal). My last night at the convent ended with a nice dinner at the dining room with the pilgrims whom I have become friends with. We exchanged information and vowed to keep in touch. As I was making my way to my room, I couldn’t help but feel sad and incredulous that my stay in Assisi was coming to an end. I had to leave this wonderful place. I was going to miss meandering aimlessly up and down Via San Francesco, the faint smell of burning wood mixed with fresh air and green grass, the uneven cobblestones, snaky stone staircases that lead to fortress-like houses and villas, the serenity and sacredness of the city, the amiable faces of the locals, simple life and most especially the feeling of peace. With this experience, I learned to appreciate these tiny drops of solitude and quietude that rarely come my way. My 3-day stay in Assisi was one of the most memorable and life-changing moments in my life.