The Spirit of Umbrian Grapes
What does it take to change a life?
I never expected to find what I found in Italy. Italy is both very similar to France and very different. It is European, but distinctly Italian.
It felt really good to get out of France for four days, just a while to collect myself, and reflect on the things I had already learned in my time there. I met an Australian on the train to Milan who was taking a couple months to travel around Europe - paid by his job. I also met a couple of New Zealanders, or Kiwis as the Aussie called them. It's very interesting to talk to other anglophones who are not American. I'll get into more about that later.
My train from Aix left at 5:10AM and I arrived in Assisi at 10:35PM - a 17 hour trip all together. My cousin Matt met me when I got off the train. That is when my life began to take a big turn. Assisi is a very quiet and reflective town. Built into the mountains, it is the city that Saint Francis called home, and where his bones still rest. The city eminates a calm, soothing energy.
Altough I was exhausted from my trip, Matt and I got out some wine, and started the good vibes going. Matt and I are less than a year apart, and we were like best friends as kids. Needless to say, time had grown us apart and I had begun to think that those times were passed and gone. It sometimes takes some good spirits to get the real feelings out, and the words we exchanged I will not express here, for they are our words, but they transformed my life. Matt is much more than a friend. He is my Brother.
I stop now, thinking about all the words I need to truly describe my experience. I could recount the things we physically did, but that leaves 95% of what transpired unsaid. I will let the pictures do most of the talking about where we went and what we did. And a few can describe the things unsaid.
The people in Assisi were wonderful. Maybe it was because we brought them so much business, but I think it was more. They are just good people, and they always seemed to be in a good mood - slightly different than the French. I was fortunate enough to meet a man of Assisi who lived through World War II, and in fact was involved in hiding the Jews from the Fascists. I now have the book that recounts his story, graced by his signature. I was also fortunate enough to enter Saint Francis' hermitage in the mountains where he used to retreat to reflect. I also was able to celebrate Mass there with the group. Although I am not religious, it was indeed a privilege.
One sidenote before I get too far. Prices that look to good to be true, probably are. On our day trip to Siena we stopped at a restaurant that advertised an entree, pate and a glass of wine for 7 Euro. What a deal right? I've had better microwave dinners. Also in Siena, Medieval preserved body parts. Saint Catherine's head and her right index finger are in her cathedral in Siena. The Medieval Catholic Church is another one of those things that I do not understand.
I was able to spend a little over three hours in Florence before I had to hop a train back to Aix. That was just enough time to see Michaelangelo's dome and a cow with two dozen breasts. The dome was actually magnificent. I was able to go up to the top of the dome and see the paintings quite closely... absolutely amazing. How you could paint something that extensive on an enormous dome a couple hundred feet in the air just baffles me. The view from the top is stunning too. Some advice though, go without 40 pounds on your back, there are a lot of stairs. As for the two-dozen-breasted cow... Well, I think that says all that can be said about that.
The train ride home was mostly uneventful. I met an Italian woman who lives in Nice and we talked for a little bit. She also lived through world war two in a small town north of Florence. She moved to France shortly after the war because there was no work and had a flower shop in Nice. She is widowed, without parents and family except for a sister near Milan. It is amazing how people can lose so much and still keep on going.
Some travel advice now: If you are going to be arriving on a late train to Marseille, get a cheap hotel for the night and take the early train to Aix. Otherwise, be prepared to pay the 60 Euro cab fare at 1AM. I think next time I'll get a room.
I was actually excited to be back in France after my trip to Italy. It is amazing how comfortable I am here now, and how little Italian I could understand. After not understanding 99% of what the Italians were saying I realized that I really do know French pretty well.
It was hard to leave Matt. For most everything I recounted Matt was there with me. If I had made the trip to Assisi with just myself or with just some familiar friends I would not have thought so highly of it. Because my Brother Matt was there with me, it is now a place that I will never forget.
What does it take to change a life?
Love
I never expected to find what I found in Italy. Italy is both very similar to France and very different. It is European, but distinctly Italian.
It felt really good to get out of France for four days, just a while to collect myself, and reflect on the things I had already learned in my time there. I met an Australian on the train to Milan who was taking a couple months to travel around Europe - paid by his job. I also met a couple of New Zealanders, or Kiwis as the Aussie called them. It's very interesting to talk to other anglophones who are not American. I'll get into more about that later.
My train from Aix left at 5:10AM and I arrived in Assisi at 10:35PM - a 17 hour trip all together. My cousin Matt met me when I got off the train. That is when my life began to take a big turn. Assisi is a very quiet and reflective town. Built into the mountains, it is the city that Saint Francis called home, and where his bones still rest. The city eminates a calm, soothing energy.
Altough I was exhausted from my trip, Matt and I got out some wine, and started the good vibes going. Matt and I are less than a year apart, and we were like best friends as kids. Needless to say, time had grown us apart and I had begun to think that those times were passed and gone. It sometimes takes some good spirits to get the real feelings out, and the words we exchanged I will not express here, for they are our words, but they transformed my life. Matt is much more than a friend. He is my Brother.
I stop now, thinking about all the words I need to truly describe my experience. I could recount the things we physically did, but that leaves 95% of what transpired unsaid. I will let the pictures do most of the talking about where we went and what we did. And a few can describe the things unsaid.
The people in Assisi were wonderful. Maybe it was because we brought them so much business, but I think it was more. They are just good people, and they always seemed to be in a good mood - slightly different than the French. I was fortunate enough to meet a man of Assisi who lived through World War II, and in fact was involved in hiding the Jews from the Fascists. I now have the book that recounts his story, graced by his signature. I was also fortunate enough to enter Saint Francis' hermitage in the mountains where he used to retreat to reflect. I also was able to celebrate Mass there with the group. Although I am not religious, it was indeed a privilege.
One sidenote before I get too far. Prices that look to good to be true, probably are. On our day trip to Siena we stopped at a restaurant that advertised an entree, pate and a glass of wine for 7 Euro. What a deal right? I've had better microwave dinners. Also in Siena, Medieval preserved body parts. Saint Catherine's head and her right index finger are in her cathedral in Siena. The Medieval Catholic Church is another one of those things that I do not understand.
I was able to spend a little over three hours in Florence before I had to hop a train back to Aix. That was just enough time to see Michaelangelo's dome and a cow with two dozen breasts. The dome was actually magnificent. I was able to go up to the top of the dome and see the paintings quite closely... absolutely amazing. How you could paint something that extensive on an enormous dome a couple hundred feet in the air just baffles me. The view from the top is stunning too. Some advice though, go without 40 pounds on your back, there are a lot of stairs. As for the two-dozen-breasted cow... Well, I think that says all that can be said about that.
The train ride home was mostly uneventful. I met an Italian woman who lives in Nice and we talked for a little bit. She also lived through world war two in a small town north of Florence. She moved to France shortly after the war because there was no work and had a flower shop in Nice. She is widowed, without parents and family except for a sister near Milan. It is amazing how people can lose so much and still keep on going.
Some travel advice now: If you are going to be arriving on a late train to Marseille, get a cheap hotel for the night and take the early train to Aix. Otherwise, be prepared to pay the 60 Euro cab fare at 1AM. I think next time I'll get a room.
I was actually excited to be back in France after my trip to Italy. It is amazing how comfortable I am here now, and how little Italian I could understand. After not understanding 99% of what the Italians were saying I realized that I really do know French pretty well.
It was hard to leave Matt. For most everything I recounted Matt was there with me. If I had made the trip to Assisi with just myself or with just some familiar friends I would not have thought so highly of it. Because my Brother Matt was there with me, it is now a place that I will never forget.
What does it take to change a life?
Love
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