There's Nothing Like a Visit from a Good Friend!
We were overjoyed that our friend Julie came to see us for a few days ahead of her tour of Tuscany, Umbria and Rome. It’s been 2 years since any of TandemSpirit’s friends or family have been able to visit. Our last guests were my cousin Bob in August 2019 and James’ cousin’s Mike and Lisa in September 2019.
Julie arrived in Florence and took the train from there to Foligno. She very kindly brought us a few purchases that we made in the US. We spent the first night catching up, letting her acclimate and, of course, feeding her. She is the first guest to sleep on the new Murphy bed in the guest room.
We spent the nextt day exploring the churches and shops in Spello. It is always a pleasure to share the beauty of our area with friends, and Spello is a perfect starting point. It is an historical treasure with Roman arches, the Roman villa (which sadly was closed that day), and the various churches with art from the medieval and Renaissance periods, topped off with exquisite views of the valley from the top of the city.
We had lunch at our favorite spot in Spello, Enoteca Propizio. We often take friends and family here are we are never disappointed. You can’t go wrong with the tagliatelle with freshly grated truffles. I might also have brought home a few bottles of wine.
Our town, Foligno, was gearing up for the rematch of the Quintana. The city looked festive with all the neighborhood flags flying. We had dinner at the Pugilli Taverna, which is our neighborhood tavern.
The next day we got up early and went to Assisi. The Basilica of St. Francis was practically empty. We had an opportunity to spend time admiring the beautiful frescoes by Giotto,
Our next stop in Assisi was the Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, which is in the main square. It was built over a Roman temple.
After the church, we always like to go to the archeological museum the sits just north of the square.
http://www.visit-assisi.it/en/monuments-and-points-of-interest/museums/roman-forum-and-archaeological-collection/ There is a video playing that shows what the temple and the would have looked like when Assisi was as Roman town. There are also artifacts such as the podium with seats for judges and the platform that statues of Castor and Pollux would have been on in the square.
On Thursday Julie had to leave us to meet up with her tour group in Lucca. After her tour of Tuscany, Umbria, and Rome, we were able to spend part of her final day in Rome together. The weather was perfect for strolling around the city. After a delicious lunch at La Pigna, we went to the Spanish Steps and the Piazza del Popolo.
Who’s next?
