In September this year, my wonderful wife Harriet and I went on our 13th trip (holiday) around the world. Harriet and I have been travelling overseas every two years to see the world. In between we have been seeing parts of Australia which is a very large country. We are also a member of Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific (a holiday share organisation) where we have available free accommodation in 3 star apartments around Australia. These are largely free of cost. I share the details below on our trips because on the trip through Italy in September, we had some profound experiences.
We both love history and art it is very profound to us. People express their ideas on life in the way they build and arrange their living spaces. It is a bit hard to go back to 79 A.D. when Pompeii as a thriving Roman city and was buried with so little warning by 5-6 metre of volcanic ash from Mt. Vesuvius. Pompeii was literally frozen in time. You can easily spend a whole day walking the original stone cobbled streets looking at all the houses, temples, public baths and shop fronts.
People express their ideas on life in the way they build and arrange their living spaces. They maybe largely ignorant of you and the way you live and where you even live. Here are some years and countries we have been to. See our post:
Ken and Harriet’s Travel posts from 2003 to 2017.
When the trip finished in Rome, Harriet and I took another week going up by train to Lake Como then down to Milan for two days. Then we flew home to Brisbane via a night in Dubai. It was six hours from Milan to Dubai and thirteen hours from Dubai to Brisbane ….. a long way to travel.
On the way up to Lake Como, we stopped off at Assisi for two days then Vernon for two days then Bellagio, Lake Como for two days. Then we went down to Milan for two days on our way home. I came back home with about 5,250 ++ photos …. There was so much to see and experience.
We had come from Rome by train to Assisi railway station. The taxi cab we ordered knew where we going and took us up to this amazing hillside town. Assisi is a town built from the local stone that Assisi sits on. It was spread over a hillside for at least a kilometre. The beauty is unbelievable. We were only spending two days in Assisi before going on to Vernon for two days.
________________________________________________________
Assisi is a town and comune of Italy in the Province of Perugia in the Umbria region, on the western flank of Monte Subasio. It was the birthplace of St. Francis, who founded the Franciscan religious order in the town in 1208, and St. Clare, the founder of the Poor Sisters, which later became the Order of Poor Clares after her death. The 19th-century Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows was also born in Assisi.
__________________________________________________________________
There are few cars in Assisi ….. it is mainly people. Assisi is a town built from the local stone that Assisi sits on. Assisi is a town built by people over centuries. It was the birthplace of St. Francis, who founded the Franciscan religious order in the town in 1208.
From this website: Hotel in Assisi
Hotel San Francesco is located in a unique position: in the historical center of Assisi, in front of the Basilica of St. Francis, 600 meters from the Town Square and 800 meters from the Basilica of St. Clare.
A hotel of established tradition, since 1960 it is distinguished for its hospitality and the quality of its services. The management in fact, for more than half a century, is cured directly by the owners which with experience and attention are devoted to meet the demands and needs of the customers. A convenient elevator will take you up to our wide terrace that offers a unique setting: a charming view of the Basilica, the Sacred Convent, the plain and surrounding hills. The hotel has 44 rooms all with private bathrooms, air conditioning, satellite TV, safe, direct telephone, minibar, hairdryer. From some of them you can enjoy the picturesque view of the Basilica of St. Francis and the green plains of the Umbrian Valley. In all rooms, as well as in the common areas, wireless internet access is available. There is also an internet point available for our guests.
Although in the heart of the pedestrian area, it is normally allowed the access by car to the hotel. For the customers, the hotel offers the possibility of free parking nearby – at the St. Giacomo parking (300 meters c.ca – Area Porta San Giacomo). Ample parking is also available at the new covered parking Giovanni Paolo II, which after the recent restructuring, has many parking spaces.
Our hotel had a wonderful little restaurant and bar on the street level
Looking down on the terracotta rooves of nearby buildings. The terracotta blended in so well with the ochre coloured stone walls and stone streets .
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Inside the Hotel
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
See the next post: Trip 17: Assisi: The Cathedral = 18th September 2017