Italia 2018: Assisi. 9 August

Arrived on a sweaty bus in Assisi and then a sweatier walk to find the accommodation. Assisi is built on a hill, so there are steep slopes, thankfully downhill at this point, but in the back of my mind as a drag my suitcase down cobbled roads and steps, is the knowledge that wheresoever you go down, you will have to return up. In 32 degree heat lugging luggage. Hmmm. Maybe a taxi to the station will be a good idea.
Accommodation found, and it's spacious and unexpectedly modern in this little town of ancient buildings. And there's air con. Actually I booked every room on Booking.com based on reading all the reviews, the location and whether it had air con.

Luggage dropped, a little shower, change and time to walk to see things.
Arcevia was medieval, charming and small, Perugia larger and aesthetically storied, Assisi is just exquisite, laid out on hills, perfectly kept, and in the centre there dominate the giant pillars of the ancient Roman temple of Minerva, converted to a church, the first I've seen like that. It is drenched in saints and Catholicism and drowning in tourists. Most of them day visitors, so the evening was slightly less busy. The entrance to the St Francis Basilica was not impossible, although after the luxury of a quieter Perugia, it felt very crowded. In retrospect that was nothing in comparison to the throngs I would encounter in Florence and Rome.

St Francis Basilica (Upper)

The upper and lower Basilica of St Francis are just beautiful. Frescoed and lovely, tourists milling, but still felt somewhat spiritual. Or maybe it's just that St Francis was for the animals, so I always connected a little more with his story.

St Francis Basilica (Lower)

Gelato'clock saw me on the steps of the Temple of Minerva/Santa Maria sopra Minerva
enjoying the ice-cream, a little breeze and some people watching. A visit inside the church reveals a baroque-style, overly ornate and gilded, but small and quiet and a short respite from the heat.

Santa Maria sopra Minerva

Walkways and arches

More wandering and enjoying the little streets and shops, (definitely a movie set), views out over the city below, the hills rolling, a slight breeze was delicious. Visited St Clare's basilica, where some nuns were chanting prayers in one of the chapels, how atmospheric. Plenty of actors in Assisi...

Assisi actor

Sitting outside St Clare's (Santa Chiara) enjoying the views of the fortress in the hill and the bells of all the many churches start to peal, ding dong all over the town, more atmosphere. My mum reminded me to listen out for the Angelus bells at 6pm. That was them. Although at the time I didn't know that. Extremely lapsed Catholic - had totally forgotten about the existence of the Angelus. Now remember everyday at school having to stop at 12 for angelus - say a Hail Mary and then in with the lesson.

Assisi - view of  Rocca Maggiore

Walked and walked up and down down and up, and according to my iPhone, climbed, not 39 steps, but 39 FLIGHTS of stairs. My poor plantar fasciitis-ridden foot...

Dinner was Torta al testa in a little cafe, finally giving it a try. It's kinda like a tramezzini, bread toasted yumminess. Not healthy though. Eataly indeed.

Note to self: Don't book for one night anywhere, two night minimum. One night - gives too little time to relax and look, and too much time spent worrying about how to get there and away. I could have spent another day happily in Assisi, and climbed a few more flights to see the Rocca Maggiore. But... next time.

So next morning pack up ye olde suitcase and drag down ye olde streets once more. To the taxi stand where no taxi ever goes it seems. Lucky there was a bus stop nearby, and two buses, at the station ready for the next leg of the journey. Google maps, you beauty.
Buying a local sim card with a fair amount of data, google maps and Trainline are the most useful travel accessories for Europe travel. Trainline lets you find a train and buy the ticket in the app using PayPal or credit card. Very convenient.
Next stop Siena...

Next stop: Siena

Italy 2018: Perugia

Nothing quite prepared me for the magnificence of the old part of Perugia. 

Piazza Novembre IV

Susanna dropped me at the start of the main pedestrian street and I dragged ye olde red suitcase down ye olde streets. So beautiful. Already. After an altercation with google maps and some back and forwards irritated walking I managed to find the BnB 

(Side bar: if using google maps when walking, and she asks you to head south west, and you have no clue which way is up, use the compass that comes with your phone, or download one, it made life way easier thereafter!) 


The BnB so happened to be right opposite a shop called Cannabis Smile. It seems cannabis with a certain level of active ingredient is legal  in Italy. Who knew? Wasn't tempted in the slightest though. Being in this place was mind blowing enough already, no help needed. 

The first of my booking.com places, BnB La Naiada was delightful, albeit up a couple of flights of pretty steep stairs. But the warm host, Paula, kindly took my suitcase up for me, who was I to refuse? Comfortable and quirkily decorated, air con, little private bathroom, and a really good breakfast. And the best part - smack in the middle of the old town. Booking.com success yet again, so far so good in Italy. 
And so after settling in, I started to walk and wander, no agenda.  And I walked and walked. And jaw dropped and dropped. The majesty of Perugia's cathedral, and the aesthetically marvellous turn of street, walkway with an arch here and winding steps there. I loved it all. 

Perugian Walkways 1

Perugian Walkways 2

Views from the town wall of the hills stretching out with buildings on them here and there, all neatly arranged. 

View

Spent several hours in the National Museum of Umbria, my first experience of gilded polyptychs and frescoed ceilings. Also a special exhibition of photographs by a famous Photographer called Harari, who photographed just about every famous musician on the planet. I loved this exhibition, some iconic images of artists, pictures that were familiar to me, nice to know who the photographer was. 


More walking and late lunch. Susanna had recommended that I try Torta al Testa at a specific place,but I was too late, they were sold out. Must be good, note to self to try tomorrow. So instead a small overpriced sandwich in one of the central restaurants. Meh. Further note to self: Don't eat in any central tourist area restaurants. I really should know that by now. Anyhoo, dinner was in a marvellous place that served fresh water fish ( delicious but a lot of bones)  next to the enormous Lake Trasimeno courtesy of Susanna and Francesca. Beautiful place, outside of Perugia. 

Much more wandering next day. Loved the city beneath a city, so fascinating how that came about. More Churches: the magnificent San Pietro, more jaw dropping. Extremely ornately decorated, floor to ceiling, so much art, so much work in every corner of the place. Wandered through the medieval garden behind the Church, which was interesting but sadly quite unkempt and neglected, maybe bad time of year?  The layout of it was interesting though. 

Interior, San Pietro, Perugia

Ceiling, San Pietro

More wandering and oohing and aahing and more little churches. More art in the churches. What a time the 14th and 15th centuries must have been if you were a man and a decent artist. Lots of gigs in sculpting and painting. 

A visit to Rocca Paolina, the underground city. I t was once a fortress, built atop ancient Etruscan roadways, which was torn down in a rebellion. What remains are pathways and some building remnants. 
Here is some background information about it: 
https://www.viadelvino.com/story-of-perugias-rocca-paolina/
You can walk through the well-preserved old passageways which are underneath the present day surface. So fascinating and quite magical. 

City beneath a city

And soon it was gelato' clock again, and I stopped a funky little place called Lick. Best. Gelato. In. Italy. And I tried a lot (writing this after Siena, Florence, on the train to Rome, let's see how you measure up) Such interesting flavours. I had chocolate with orange and cinnamon. Yuuuuuuum. 

Amazing gelato...

More walking and a visit to an exhibition of Renaissance paintings in a palazzo. That was fun - first experience of a palazzo with painted ceilings in the 17th century style. 
More wandering and later a visit with Susanna and Francesca to a festival held in a small medieval town just outside suburban Perugia (I think), Corcina was the name. Beautiful little place, smaller than Arcevia. Like Susanna says - it's not real, these places are like a movie set. These kind of ancient places are almost too beautiful and aesthetically perfect, and the people who inhabit them are actually just actors. Including the cats. Hehe. I like that. 


After a little rest of aching feet and air con blast, I set out to forage for dinner. Settled on a charming place in a picturesque little piazza, and ate a decent ravioli, but nothing has topped the Arcevia Park Hotel"s gnocchi yet... 

Perugia selfie

Next day time to pack up, and mission to the bus station, which was not too far to walk to, a little wait for the bus to Assisi, sweating in the shade. Here comes the bus, onward ho.

Italia 2018: Bucket list tour. Arcevia 1

Long time Bucket list place to visit and here I am at last. Writing from the Assisi train station. Had contemplated not writing anything. On many previous trips to Asia, Europe I didn't write anything about them. Part of my introvert ridiculousness I think. The thought process: why would anyone be interest in my ramblings? They're probably not, but here I am writing, and it is really more for me and my ageing memory... One day, if I manage to reach a great age and wish to reminisce, I'll have some help. And it's likely that the age of Instagram memories will have long faded, replaced by some other impermanent life-journaling mechanism. Ramblings in a station. Let's start:


Roma first, to stay with wonderful Susanna for a few days. Couch sleeping, but comfy and fun times in the Tiger Shop with Susanna and Mike playing with sunglasses and grunting plastic pigs!

Evening brings a radio interview at RAI, the national broadcaster, like SABC. Radio One with Massimo (I think?, everyone calls him Max). Somewhat different to the radio interviews I'm used to - in chat for 5 min, 10 min max, out. Here we were asked to be there for the full 2 hour show, while Max played music and chatted to his guests. Other guests were a pianist from Brazil, but living in Rome, and a producer of another Brazilian project.

Of course a lot of Italian, with Susanna doing her best to translate for us. A few questions for Mike and then me, and a song played for each, more Italian chats with the other guests and lots of varied music . Max loved my song, asked to keep the CD for play listing. Whoop whoop I'm play listed in Italy!


After a late dinner we were treated to 1am sight seeing and stopped to admire St Peters all lit up and resplendent without a tourist in sight - ciao Roma!

St Peter's at 1am

Next day to Arcevia in Susanna's car, piled to the roof with suitcases, real books and jazz improv books, a motorbike helmet and half a fan. She likes to be prepared.

Winding through Italian countryside Umbria and then Marche, beautiful farmlands and hills and modern ugly buildings interlaced with some old ones. Up and up and more picturesque as we went.

Finally Arcevia, to the old part, a beautiful medieval town on the hill.

Room with a view...

The old Park hotel was to be our home for the next 7 days; old hotel reminded me of some hotels in Zim, still preserved in 80s decor, complete with fading fabric flowers in a giant vase on the staircase landing. But clean and comfy and the view from my window... Never tired of staring at that every morning and evening.


What a surreal experience, to wander through the ancient cobbled streets and admire the old medieval buildings, looming 2 or 3 stories high.

Ancient streets of Arcevia

Ancient entrance

Next to meet the director and a few other teachers of the Arcevia Jazz Feast for a pleasant dinner in the dining hall. The week started in earnest the next day with meeting the students, hearing each of the singers, as every instrument's participants are graded and then put into ensembles of similar playing level for the week. I love that this is one of those jazz camps that has no age limit, so you have young folk (15 was the youngest) interacting and learning alongside older folk, for who, the week is a holiday treat, where they escape from other jobs and play jazz all day.

The workshops are held in the elementary school. Which has no air con. As I sat sweltering in one of the sun-beaten classrooms it became apparent to me: There is a reason they send the kids home for the summer... Brains turn to mush in the heat, it's a fact.

A brochure for a fan, and a daily sojourn to my room for a little nap plus air con blast after lunch became essential survival tools for the week, averaging daily maximums of 32 degrees C.

The week was packed with classes, ensemble sessions, rehearsals etc. which mostly I observed, all in Italian, so a little tedious not being able to participate more, but I did lead one session, on some improvisation things, which was fun. And I also presented a session on South African jazz vocalists. It was great to be able to expand my 10-min Helsinki conference blip of a presentation to a full 2 hour chat with lots of listening, videos and questions from the singers, all of whom had a good go trying their tongues at words with clicks in them!! Hopefully some SA Jazz Vocal artists will have a good few downloads of their albums on iTunes etc from Italy.

The Arcevia singers were joined by some other singers organised by Susanna to learn Nomfundo Xaluva's gorgeous piece, Bayathetha, and they did a stellar job learning the Xhosa and singing in beautiful harmony, ably led by Susanna.

Arcevia Jazz Feast Vocalists

Susanna had organised for us to perform at the Jesi Jazz Festival, so a rehearsal with lovely Gui, and fab Italian musicians Gabriele on bass, Roberto on drums, Mike, Susanna and I.

We had also conscripted the irrepressible Ninon (whom I had met a couple of years prior, at a little gig in Paris, how small the world is) to join us on flute and bandoneon, simply because she's awesome, and regardless of the fact that she was in Arcevia on holiday visiting her partner Tiziano, who was running a Shiatsu group in tandem with the Jazz camp. A merry band indeed, it was a great gig, so wonderful to share music with great players, and the choir sounded fantastic.

Jesi Jazz Festival with Susanna Stivali.
Photo by Binci Photography

Other highlights of the week included four Shiatsu sessions with the lovely Abretta, and experiencing an Arcevia town festival: long tables were set up all the way down one of the streets and the local people were out in force eating and drinking. The best part were all the old fashioned games laid out for people to play.


Our UCT representative students seem to have had a marvelous time overall. What a great experience for all.

The week culminated in the

teachers concert on the Saturday evening, students on the Sunday. Loooooong concert - every ensemble played a few numbers. Was great to hear all the work people had done with their groups over the 6 days.

Big thanks to Samuele, director of the festival, who doesn't stop working, for having me at Arcevia Jazz Feast, and the wonderful Gorana, knower of things and speaker of English.

This is the website for the festival: http://www.arceviajazzfeast.it/ajf2/

A final ciao to everyone, left cheek kiss first then right and eventually we left with Susanna, car packed to bursting: me, SA students for a lift to the train, all the luggage, a million real books and the blessed fan.