Ciao! :)
Today is Friday, the 25th September.
Firstly, I forget to mention a few things about Pompeii! Every time our guide told us something interesting about Ancient Rome, he said, "good idea?" It made us all laugh! He also told us that Pompeii had more brothels than bakeries, and showed us both. We also got to see the Ancient Roman lavatories, which was actually pretty cool. Along the streets, there were little holes in the curb that people used to secure their horses/chariots. We saw many of the original mosaics, and it was amazing. I also bought some souvenirs; I was originally told that the item I wanted was €20, but in the end I got two items for the same price! :)
After I last blogged, we continued back to Rome. Along the way, I saw a Humanitarian Aid truck.
When we arrived in Rome, the traffic was absolute chaos, and so we decided to go straight to the restaurant for dinner. Unfortunately, it was raining and I hadn't taken an umbrella, so we went as fast as possible to the restaurant! We had dinner at Le Cappelette; we ate risotto, chicken and potato, and watermelon. The risotto was delicious! We then returned home to pack our bags, ready to leave the next day.
Friday began with breakfast at Hotel Italia; chocolate tart/cake, bread with ham, omelette pieces, salami, and the obligatory fruit. I also ordered a cappuccino! After breakfast, we said goodbye to Rome and boarded the bus, we stopped over about 2 hours in and some girls ordered le cioccolatine calde - hot chocolates - but couldn't finish them (Italian hot chocolates are very thick!) so guess who did? Me! They were really yummy too! We then boarded the bus again and drove to the ceramic factory in Deruta, where they make ceramics in the same way they've done since the Neolithic. One of the potters showed us how they make the ceramics using a pottery wheel, which was super cool. And then we were offered the opportunity for 3-4 people to try it themselves! So guess who did? Me! It was so much fun! I ended up going first, and I made a bowl. He said that I had "nice hands" and that I was very good at it! :) He helped me to make one bowl, and then said, "now Tiffany try it herself!" and I made another! This time, I didn't get as much help. To do the pottery, you had to keep your hands wet, and the wheel moving really fast! When I was finished, he deliberately put a dot of clay on my nose! He did that to the other girls who gave it a go, too. It was so much fun and I'm so glad that I took the opportunity. :) We then looked around the shop before getting back on the bus and heading to Perugia.
We arrived a little early and decide to have lunch, but unfortunately the only place nearby was a McDonald's... Reluctantly, I ordered a Mozzarillo - a hamburger with some kind of meat, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese. It was OK, but I would have preferred to have avoided McDonald's. After lunch, we went to Perugina Chocolate a factory. When we arrived, we had a guided tour through the museum, and saw some hand painted Baci boxes and other interesting articles. We also learned the story of Baci. Originally, the chocolates were called the Italian word for 'punch', as they looked like fists. However, in those days chocolate was very expensive and sold in rather luxurious stores, and they decided that saying "I would like a punch" was far from the classy image of the chocolate stores. So, they renamed it Baci, and created a legend. They said that the two founders were lovers (even though she was married and 15 years older than him) and used to send each other love notes via chocolate. To this day, Baci chocolates still have these messages inside! We also saw a model of the world's biggest chocolate - the real one was given to the people of Perugia and eaten in 4 hours. We then had a tasting session, and were given the opportunity to try a new Bacio chocolate that will not be released in stores until October! It was delicious! We ate so much chocolate! We then toured the factory; it was fascinating to see how all the machines were automated and how they processed the chocolate. We saw thousands of Baci, and watched how they pack the Baci boxes. After the tour, we bought some Baci from the store. We then got back on the bus and travelled to Hotel Frate Sole, our hotel in Santa Maria degli Angeli, near Assisi. We had dinner at Ristorante Suore Luna, which connects to the hotel. We ate creamy chicken penne, misc. meat with very salty potatoes, and pannacotta. As we were all very tired, we then went to bed.
Today began with breakfast in the restaurant: bread with salami, croissants with Nutella, blood orange San Pelligrino, and a cappuccino. We then set about exploring Assisi and surrounds. We first visited the Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli, where we were lucky enough to take part in a Mass. We also saw the spot where Saint Francis died, and the original church he built (the current Basilica is built around it). We then walked all the way to Assisi. We then bought some souvenirs, and the lady said that our Italian was very good. We visited the Basilica di San Francesco, where we saw the tomb of St Francis. Whilst we were there, Assisi also had a festival, La Cortile di Francesco, and we saw some children (most likely) re-enacting scenes from St Francis' life, complete with a Mother Earth statue thing. They also had live music performances, and I was lucky enough to see one of my favourite Italian artists, Bianca Atzei, perform live! It was incredible and I was so excited! :) I honestly could not believe my luck! Apparently she was doing a rehearsal for the concert tonight. It was such a great experience! We then continued to explore the church, before moving on. We saw a few more churches - including one with images of Moroccan martyrs - before going to lunch at a restaurant, where I had gnocchi ai 4 formaggi (4 cheeses gnocchi) and peach tea. We then went to a pastry shop where I bought a dito alla Nutella - a Nutella finger. It was pastry filled with Nutella, and it was delicious! We then visited more churches before going to the Basilica di Santa Chiara, where we saw the real San Damiano cross and St Clare's tomb. We also saw many relics, including many of St Francis and St Clare's clothes, and the clothes with St Francis' stigmata on it. We then trekked down to San Damiano, where we saw the place where God spoke to St Francis, and the spot where St Clare died. There was also an art exhibition of images relating to the Canticle, as St Francis wrote the famous prayer at San Damiano. I also lit a special candle at one of the offering spots just outside San Damiano. It was a very spiritual experience. We then walked around Assisi before walking all the way back to the hotel.
Dinner is in a few minutes, so that's all for now! :) Ciao!