way to pass the time; one of us will offer an invaluable critique of the what the other thinks /says /looks like /eats /smells like; the other will offer helpful hints on cleanliness /grooming /civility /manners. It brings us closer together.
Polly: In other words, he won't stop farting.
Tim: We spent today primarily at the two main churches of Assisi. What do I say? They were very nice and all, but the churches are all starting to run together for me. A fresco by a guy, a painting by another, statutes by a third. Great, great, and great. I'm glad Polly is still finding meaning in this. Perhaps it's because I'm
still sick. They love St. Francis so much here that they took some of his skin from around his eye and made a relic. Love's a funny thing, eh? Assisi is a long, thin town; the churches are at one end - the low end - and our hotel is at the high end, so the walk back for a nap is arduous. We come down to the middle of town to eat - at the same place as last night. There is an Australian family here, and they were here last night too, but since we ignored them last night, and again at the churches today, then we must either sheepishly acknowledge one another or feud. Let's feud. So we look at each other without smiling.
The restaurant is great. It is the off season and they are almost full, so I can only imagine what their tourist season is like (I imagine it is 'full'). It is run by a young couple who look very good together, compliment Polly on her Italian, have a beautiful restaurant, make wonderful food but who are making me poor. But I feel good.
Watching more TV at nights, after 2 weeks of none.
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Next day, and we need to get to
Siena. We both study my encyclopedic timetable of Italian trains with more than 1,000 pages but just can't find a way that doesn't take 5 hours. I talk to the tourist office and they tell me there is a direct bus that takes less than 2 hours! Fantastic! When? In 15 minutes, from a place 20 minutes away - and after that, 6 hours from now. Ok, another day in Assisi - all part of the adventure. I take a walk up to the castle that looms over the town, and it is open. Unfortunately on the way I get some pollen (or DDT) in my eyes from brushing against a tree and so they become very sensitive; on the castle tower I have a great view of the town surrounded by a lake of cloud, or would have if I could see aught but tears.
The bus tickets to Siena are sold down near the cathedral, and the buses leave from a third point. We walk all the way down - so far down we are actually in clouds - buy the tickets, trudge up the hills again, sight-see, get our bags and go even higher so as to get a bus to the lowest point, where the bus leaves from. I think this flu medication is making me befuddled.
And we go to Siena on the bus. Highlights of the day:
* seeing the cathedral from above, floating like an island in a lake of clouds
* chatting in Italian to Sister Rita, nun of 37 years, who was very nice, answered different questions to the ones I thought I asked and had terrible teeth, and,
* watching the ugly bus driver try to chat up the Czech lady; brave but doomed.
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