Monday was more bus than touring but still a great experience.
It was a bit sad leaving Venice by water taxi, what a neat place. Our bags went separately, the Venetians know how to stack bags, somehow they all made it to the bus.
The water taxies are amazingly efficient, it is just like getting on a bus. The loading and unloading is no more difficult that getting on or off a bus.
It was a long bus ride to Bologna, we are eventually headed back to Rome so it is a good way to break up the trip by stopping in Bologna for lunch and over night in Assisi.
In Bologna we headed for the main square, Piazza Maggiore. Here you will find San Petronio Basilica, it is the only one I have seen not finished. It was started in the 1300s, it was not commissioned by the church, it was a communal project, maybe that is why it was never finished. They never finished the facade or added the statues you see on typical churches in Italy
The inside however is something to behold. If you want to take pictures inside you have to buy a ticket...as I was reminded when I snapped this one...oops.
Bologna is known for the kissing towers, towers so close they appear to be kissing....we did not get where I could get a very good shot of them.
We wandered the streets of Bologna a bit and checked out their local markets, the veggies looked like they just came from the gardens.
All kinds of meats were also on display.
We eventually found a small cafe for lunch, Bologna is famous for their Pasta, and the did not disappoint.
Spaghetti with Bolognese.
Spaghetti Carbonara
In the piazza is a statue of Neptune surrounded by risque mermaids.
After lunch in Bologna we boarded the bus again for Assisi. It sits high on a mountain overlooking the city below.
Assisi is the birthplace of St. Francis, who founded the Franciscan religious order in the town in 1208, and St. Clare (Chiara d'Offreducci), the founder of the Poor Sisters, which later became the Order of Poor Clares after her death.
If there is one word for Assisi it is 'Medieval', walking the streets you could easily loose your self in another time, it just feels like the middle ages.
We wandered the streets for about an hour, it was just fascinating.
Eventually we stopped for Cappuccino and Prosecco at a nice little cafe.
We have seen these work vehicles all over Italy, they crack me up.
We had to continue onto our hotel for a group dinner but will return on Monday to tour Basilica of San Francesco.
Our hotel was once a convent, it doesn't look it much from the inside, but does still have a chapel.
Overall, even though the day contained a lot of bus time, it was a good day.
We could have spent more time in Assisi just wandering the streets. Again, very quaint.
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