Day 4 & 5 in Assisi

We arrived in Assisi yesterday by train.  The train ride was very short; I thought it would be much longer.  We got here around noon and took a taxi to our hotel.  Assisi is actually up on a hill overlooking Umbria.  The view is beautiful.  Right after we checked in, we went to the Basilica San Francesco.  The basilica is a double basilica with one up and one down below.  They are both working churches.  The style and decor are different from those we saw in Rome.  This one looks more rustic.  We went down below the basilica to St. Francis' tomb.  Next to him were the tombs of 4 of his companions.  After lunch we went to the Basilica of St. Clare.  She was a friend of St. Francis.  Her basilica is almost exactly like St. Francis'.  Her tomb is below the basilica and had some of her relics and St. Francis' relics on display.  Among the relics were her cloaks, a ball of yarn that she made, a shirt made of horse hair, a shoe and cloak of St. Francis, and a book of his.  It was moving to see these things.

Last night after dinner, we went to a musical performance in front of the church of St. Rufino.  Today we went to mass at the Basilica of San Francesco.  It was held in the lower basilica and was in ITALIAN!!  Since I couldn't understand any of the words I had to remember what order the mass is in.  It was really difficult but moving to be there.  I am kind of stuck for what else to say about Assisi.  It is a small town with not much to do but look at churches and buildings.  Tomorrow, I will be going to Venice. I will keep you updated...... Ciao ciao!!!  Like my daddy says 'bene, bene, bene' (or good, good, good!)  Oh, Aunt Donna:  gelato yesterday was cioccolato, crema, and limone.  Today it was baci, cioccolato, and straccitella.