Assisi, Orvieto & Bagnoregio

This weekend, yet again, was jam-packed with traveling. First, our entire group went to Assisi to visit St. Francis' Basillica, which is a huge structure somehow built onto a hill. There were big, open markets and little tiny cafes. The lunch we ate was an authentic four course Italian meal. Needless to say we were all stuffed, too full even for gelato. Later that afternoon we left, drove three hours by bus, and met up with ODU's own Melissa Ochal for dinner. We went to a nice Italian place (where else is there to go in Italy?) where they served your meal in huge black skillet-bowls hot off the oven. Saturday morning Melissa, Megan and myself took an early morning train into Orvieto. Like Assisi, it was built high up in the mountians. With its narrow cobblestoned streets and quiet, relaxed atmosphere it was a perfect get away from Rome's noise and congestion. Dominating the middle of Orvieto is one of the biggest cathedrals I've ever seen. Covered in frescos and relief sculpture, it's obviously the crowning jewel of the city. Later in the day we took a bus to the city of Bagnoregio, a tiny tiny village teetering on the top of a mountian. The only way in is via a long, steep pedestrian bridge that is not for the faint of heart. Once inside, it's interesting to see how much the city hasn't changed since World War II, as proven by an array of paintings and photographs. There we ate homemade bruschetta in a building dating back to the 1200s. The next day we visited the museum of modern artist Emilio Greco, whose many sketches and twisting, female sculptures were really unbelieveable. After that we did some shopping, Melissa and Megan bought some of Orvieto's famous ceramics, while I bought a book of painting and poetry by a local Orvieto artist named Umberto Verdirosi. It was a great, relaxing weekend. Also, I see that Ohio State is undefeated. Very nice! (Borat voice). Hopefully they hang in there and get a good bowl game bid in January so i can watch at least one game. Well, Goodbye and Go Bucks!