Boxing Day 2010

Rome to Assisi, 26 December 2010 (Boxing Day)

The rain is gone as we leave Rome. The Tiber has risen several feet; initially there was a walking and jogging trail visible along the waterway, now they are completely gone.

Assisi is beautiful and peaceful, though this is really some place you need to share with another; Rome, Florence, Venice have an energy about them such that you can enjoy them as a solo traveller, but Assisi is much more tranquil and subdued. The Basilica of St. Francis, in my opinion, is actually far more beautiful and spiritual than the Sistine Chapel, with a true peace befitting of the man's legend.

St. Francis of Assisi spoke of the vow, the desire, for poverty, both as an individual as well as for the church. What a concept, especially after just having come from the Vatican, where you can see the immense wealth of the church's museum, while outside just a few feet away crippled people beg for charity. I don't mean to single out the Catholic church since most other religions do the same thing, namely preach of helping others while ignoring those who are--literally--on their doorsteps. Similarly, I have to question the US missionaries who venture halfway around the world to help others, while there are people in their US home city who are hungry, cold and homeless. I realize no single religion can solve hunger and poverty, but I would be so astonished, so pleased, if religious orders simply started helping those in their own neighborhoods.

On an entirely different chord, the Amazon Kindle works very well in Italy, both in Rome and Assisi. Any place I have tried to get a signal I have received one, checking email is no problem, neither is getting my blogs delivered. This is quite an ice-breaker, as I cannot count how many people have stopped me on this trip to ask about the device. Though it does not have a color screen, the (free!) 3G feature makes it one of the most exciting electronic devices I have ever owned. Yes, I can carry around a library of literally a few thousand books, and yes, I can check the Internet and email, and yes I get my blogs delivered anyplace in Europe or North America.

Hotel Windsor Savoia in Assisi

WiFi: 10 Euro for 24 hours, or 1 hour for 3 Euros or 4 hours for 6 Euros. That is reasonable, you can go for short time if that is all you need.

The odd thing is I don't mind paying 10 Euros, as long as I know I have other choices in the matter.

Overall, Assisi is much cheaper than Rome: Coffee + whiskey + bottle of water = 3 Euros. I thought it was a mistake, but the woman assured me that was the price for all three; it would have been well over twice that much in Rome.

Tomorrow, we are off to Florence where we will spend two nights before moving on to Venice, our final destination. It goes without saying, these trips always pass too quickly. I'm finally unwinding from work, regaining my sense of sanity, purpose and direction. I do have a trip to Paris on the books for this May, with the airline tickets already purchased, though at this moment I am tempted to get off the plane and get on a train back to Italy!