Today we took a group field trip to Assisi, with professors. We had to get up bright and early, which wouldn't have been quite so bad if we hadn't gone out clubbing last night. It was a lot of fun though. Oh and I had a great dinner after class with friends. We went to the supermercato, picked up two loaves of bread, some olive oil, and some balsamic vinegar and sat eating on the steps of a Medici church. It was beyond basic, but such a fun thing to do with a group.
Anyway we took a huge bus to Assisi this morning, where we stopped at two churches as a group. The first was an enormous Gothic cathedral built to house two small churches where St. Francis (San Francesco) prayed or something like that. Religion is not my forte as you may be able to tell. There was a little area under one of them that he lived in for a long time. Tiny tiny area. I think he may have also died there. Not really sure.
I've never been a religious person, but I understood in one of the small churches. It was a tiny stone building with crumbling frescoes. Maybe had eight seats total with a little altar. It had this smell though that must have lasted for centuries. It smelled like forest (it did used to be in the forest when St. Francis used it). Like nature. Like something living. And for a moment there, I honestly believe I could have been religious. There was something so personal in that tiny little church that I could have believed in some sort of god. It was incredible. It felt so peaceful and comfortable, especially in contrast to the monstrosity that was built around it. I don't like Gothic architecture, even Italian Gothic, because it makes God impersonal. It's impressive, but not particularly fulfilling.
I have to say, I don't really know how to act in big churches like that without the religious background for them. So I tend to go the way I remember visiting all of them with family before. No pictures ever inside churches. More importantly, lighting two candles for the grandfathers. I'm not sure what the significance of the candles is. Maybe it's for memory. Maybe it's for something in heaven. I just don't know, but it feels right to do it.
We visited another big church afterwards where St. Francis is buried. I found it interesting that his body was buried so well that it wasn't actually found until the 19th century. The monks wanted to make sure nobody would take pieces for relics. It's quite an idea. It's the church with the large rose window in the picture.
A group of us wandered around Assisi for a while before discovering the most fantastic place for lunch. Down a little alley in a tiny hotel was an outdoor restaurant with an amazing view of the Tuscan countryside. The waitress was absolutely fantastic and (even better) didn't speak English, which meant we got to practice our Italian. I had the best pasta I've eaten since I've been here: spaghetti with some sort of herb oil and chopped herbs, plus sundried tomatoes, capers, and beautifully fresh black olives. I don't usually like olives but these were amazing (as they should be in a place that grows them).
After lunch we visited another church (Santa Chiara I believe) before just bumming around in town for a while. It's really picturesque set in the hills. It's also a very clean town, which I was impressed by. We got back at about eight. Tomorrow I'm leaving for Elba for the weekend with a big group. Specifically leaving on a 5am train. 5am. 5.a.m. Beyond early. I'll be back in touch with my computer on Sunday evening.
Anyway we took a huge bus to Assisi this morning, where we stopped at two churches as a group. The first was an enormous Gothic cathedral built to house two small churches where St. Francis (San Francesco) prayed or something like that. Religion is not my forte as you may be able to tell. There was a little area under one of them that he lived in for a long time. Tiny tiny area. I think he may have also died there. Not really sure.
I've never been a religious person, but I understood in one of the small churches. It was a tiny stone building with crumbling frescoes. Maybe had eight seats total with a little altar. It had this smell though that must have lasted for centuries. It smelled like forest (it did used to be in the forest when St. Francis used it). Like nature. Like something living. And for a moment there, I honestly believe I could have been religious. There was something so personal in that tiny little church that I could have believed in some sort of god. It was incredible. It felt so peaceful and comfortable, especially in contrast to the monstrosity that was built around it. I don't like Gothic architecture, even Italian Gothic, because it makes God impersonal. It's impressive, but not particularly fulfilling.
I have to say, I don't really know how to act in big churches like that without the religious background for them. So I tend to go the way I remember visiting all of them with family before. No pictures ever inside churches. More importantly, lighting two candles for the grandfathers. I'm not sure what the significance of the candles is. Maybe it's for memory. Maybe it's for something in heaven. I just don't know, but it feels right to do it.
We visited another big church afterwards where St. Francis is buried. I found it interesting that his body was buried so well that it wasn't actually found until the 19th century. The monks wanted to make sure nobody would take pieces for relics. It's quite an idea. It's the church with the large rose window in the picture.
A group of us wandered around Assisi for a while before discovering the most fantastic place for lunch. Down a little alley in a tiny hotel was an outdoor restaurant with an amazing view of the Tuscan countryside. The waitress was absolutely fantastic and (even better) didn't speak English, which meant we got to practice our Italian. I had the best pasta I've eaten since I've been here: spaghetti with some sort of herb oil and chopped herbs, plus sundried tomatoes, capers, and beautifully fresh black olives. I don't usually like olives but these were amazing (as they should be in a place that grows them).
After lunch we visited another church (Santa Chiara I believe) before just bumming around in town for a while. It's really picturesque set in the hills. It's also a very clean town, which I was impressed by. We got back at about eight. Tomorrow I'm leaving for Elba for the weekend with a big group. Specifically leaving on a 5am train. 5am. 5.a.m. Beyond early. I'll be back in touch with my computer on Sunday evening.
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