Pienza |
Morning photos - Sunrise above the clouds and fog
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Morning in the Tuscan countryside
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Morning photos
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Street scene |
Cathedral of Pienza |
Street sweeper
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Sun through fog
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Laundromat |
Street scene |
Street scene
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Street scene - Lovely flowers and sheets hanging out the windows!
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Lake Trasimeno is the largest lake in Europe created by tectonic plate movement. It has no rivers flowing in or out of it. It holds rainwater and now has 21 feet of water on top of 200 feet of sediment.
We boarded two pontoon boats in Tuoro to cross to the Isola Maggiore where a local guide gave us a tour. We looked across the water to the hillsides around Tuoro where Hannibal with only one elephant remaining, came down from the Alps to march against Rome.
St. Francis visited this island of successful fishermen to peacefully pray for 40 days during Lent in 1211. The island now has only 17 permanent residents and several pheasants – we saw a few. Franciscan friars came to the island and built the Church of the Archangel St. Michele. Over several centuries the friars added frescos to the church.
We walked along the lake and up to the church and back into town for lunch.
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Lake Trasimeno - Boats to Isola Maggiore
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Lake Trasimeno - Modern sculptures along the shore |
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Pretty sign
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Fisherman on Lake Trasimeno |
Isola Maggiore - Statue of St. Francis of Assisi
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Isola Maggiore - Challenging trail |
Isola Maggiore - Pheasant
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Church of St. Michael the Archangel |
Church of St. Michael the Archangel
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Church of St. Michael the Archangel |
Isola Maggiore - Museum |
Isola Maggiore - Lunch
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Isola Maggiore - Lunch
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After another hour and a half ride on our bus, we arrived in Trevi, a town atop an impressive hill - at least the drive up was impressive! Today they held their version of a palio, but without horses, that included a Medieval Festival. When we arrived there were still food booths and craft tents and games for kids. The squares were full of people and the weather was great.
Tommaso led us on a walk to see St. Martin’s Church and Nunnery so we could look back at the hilltop town of Trevi and have a view of the whole valley.
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Assisi from the bus |
Assisi from the bus
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Trevi - Festival in the square - Interesting food |
Trevi - Festival in the square - Interesting food
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Trevi - Hotel room ceiling |
St. Martin’s church
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View from hike to St. Martin’s church
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View from hike to St. Martin’s church |
View of Trevi from hike to St. Martin’s church |
Drummers practicing for the evening Medieval Festival
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Marge joined Tommaso for a pre-dinner glass of wine from a booth at the Festival. It was awful cheap wine.
Dinner was included tonight. We had a very good meal at La Vecchia Posta. The first course was a sample of many good things and the second was a small portion of sliced Florentine steak. We had homemade ice cream for dessert.
When we left the restaurant, two contradas were lined up with drum corps and everyone was in medieval dress. They marched into the grand square to a large crowd.
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Medieval Festival
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Medieval Festival |
Medieval Festival - this may be the worst glass of wine I ever had!
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Trevi - Dinner at La Vecchia Posta
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Medieval Festival |
Medieval Festival |
Medieval Festival
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