Greccio

After being at the Greccio Sanctuary we headed to the town. It was, of course, charming with a lovely little town square but we were very hungry and the place looked deserted. This might have had to do with the rather grey weather and occasional showers.

I was so hungry I was ready to chew my arm off so Mauro suggested this little restaurant in Contigliano between Greccio and Fonte Columbo, which was our next destination. The outside of the building said "Ingresso" but the business card says "il Giardino." The family was eating lunch in this little open room toward the entrance but the waiter lead us to a banquet room. We were the only ones there. The chairs had white slip covers with bows, as if they were bridesmaids at a banquet and I didn't know what to expect.

That's the funny about traveling, you never know. I ate more during that meal than I normally eat over the course of three days. We had some of the best antipasti of my life (what do they do to the mushrooms? Sprinkle them with fairy dust?!) And I am still trying to figure out what they were calling bread crumbs on the grilled zucchini and eggplant. There were giant plates of fabulous homemade pasta with truffles and salad and steamed dark greens ... I couldn't move.

From what it looked like, they do banquet-style meals there. Can you imagine? You'd have to put me in a wheel barrow to get me out of there.

Greccio, May 2010

il Giardino, Cotigliano (Rieti Valley)

Mmmmm ...

Up next ... peaceful and sacred Fonte Columbo

Leonardo da Vinci at the Getty Center

I have been impressed with the urgency of doing.

Knowing is not enough;

we must apply.

Being willing is not enough;

we must do.

~Leonardo da Vinci

A quick reminder that the da Vinci show at the Getty Center closes this Sunday, June 20th! I went yesterday and it's not a huge show but I loved seeing these small pieces of paper with all these tiny little drawings all over the place! Horses, figures, faces and machinery all on the same page with his handwriting. Mind-blowing, really. It makes me want to never leave home without my little moleskin pad! (Um, not that my drawings would resemble his, but it's very inspiring!)

I would have taken pictures but apparently the Queen of England (who owns them!) wouldn't be happy with photos of her art showing up on the internet. This, according the security guards. So, this was the best I could do!

The work of the child below is actually very small and utterly beautiful. Delicate and amazing. The reflected light is absolutely exquisite. (So, I guess you could say I liked it!)

Where the spirit does not work with the hand

there is no art.

~Leonardo da Vinci

Road to the Rieti Valley

Sometimes the road you're traveling is just as beautiful as the destination ...

We have to remember to enjoy the ride.

My mom and were obsessed with these trees and have no idea what they are. Finally, we told Mauro to pull over so we could take pictures. The trunks looked like manzanita and there are pinkish purple leaves that grow under the green leaves close to the branches. Beautiful right? Any ideas what they are?

Look lovingly on the present,

for it holds the only things

that are forever true.

~from A Course in Miracles

Greccio ... The Sanctuary

The day after we arrived in Assisi we hired a driver to take us down to two of St. Francis' sanctuaries in the Rieti Valley. Rieti is South of Assisi and actually in Lazio (not Umbria) and is about 1 1/2 from Rome.

Our driver Mauro ended up being a completely awesome guy, (which is especially great on a day when you are going be in the car for 3 hours or more!) And, topping it off, we all became friends. We discussed everything from Francis to the Italian neorealist cinema of the post war era. He's the coolest.

Greccio Sanctuary is a couple kilometers from the town of Greccio and about 1,000 meters up on Mount Lacerone and looks out over the beautiful Rieti Valley. We had some crazy weather and quite a bit of rain, but even with that it was serene and beautiful.

Francis first came to the Rieti Valley around 1209 and love this place. It is easy to see why. On a return trip he began what is now a yearly tradition around the world.

Christmas Eve in 1223 he created the first ever living nativity or "crèche"

The Chapel of the Crèche

Grotto of the Crib

The Chapel of the crèche was built the year Francis was canonized in 1228,

on the site where that first living nativity took place.

Original Refectory

Cell of St. Francis (where he slept)

Dormitory of St. Bonaventure

The choir

Chapel of St. Francis

It was so beautiful and even with a groups of school kids, pilgrims and nuns, it was still peaceful and felt very sacred. The rain and the nuns singing made it feel even more mystical. I filmed all this as well, so eventually you will all see it.

They still do living nativities here at Christmastime ... wouldn't that be amazing?

For more of the sanctuary's treasures, see below!

Greccio: The New Church and Crèches

As you leave the dormitory and chapel and go outside, you see The New Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Francis across the stone courtyard, which also houses 20th century nativities from all around the world. Each nativity is unique and beautiful. Many are set into the wall and are designed with "forced perspective" and look like they go back forever.

It was very dark and difficult to take photos, but we tried! One of my favorites was an eskimo nativity. You will have to use your imagination because I couldn't get a shot of it because it was impossibly dark. (Think "It's a Small World" but more rustic and quaint!)

Aren't they lovely? We were in there with a sweet group of nuns and it was fun to hear everyone "ooohing and aaahhhing" at these creative and charming little wonders.

Assisi ... The First Evening

From the hotel room at Hotel Fontebella, Assisi

We arrived in the afternoon and I was thrilled to set foot off the train and be back in Assisi. We went to our hotel and got organized and later headed to the Basilica of St. Francis to take in the view, enjoy the afternoon and eventually watch the sunset from a little restaurant that faces the basilica.

It was a perfect way to begin our time in Assisi.

This first shot is the view with your back to the basilica. I am working on a pastel from a photo of it from my last trip and I will get that posted as soon as it's finished!

You can see from the picture below, the little crowd that forms to watch the sunset in the evening and at the bottom you can see the amazing view from our table at the restaurant, along with the flower window boxes and reflection of the candles in the window glass.

Ristorante San Francesco

There are only two ways to live your life.

One is as though nothing is a miracle.

The other is as though everything is a miracle.

~Albert Einstein

Assisi ... Magical Assisi

There are places we are connected to (discussed here a lot on this blog!) and places that have an unexplainable magic about them. Big Sur on the Central Coast of California is like that, Haleiwa on the North Shore of Ouahu, the Serengeti Plane, and all in different ways. Assisi is like that. There is something extra special. The energy there is amazing and I loved it the moment I arrived in September of 2008.

When I was sick, my parents and I talked a lot about going back and I told them I would give them the grand tour when I got better. When I was in my scariest moments I would close my eyes and imagine walking up Via San Francesco from the Basilica. I would feel the cool air on my face and the cobblestones under my feet. I would look up and see the statues everywhere of St. Francis watching over me. If I was in a CT scan, little did the radiologist know ... I was off in Assisi, with Francis, walking up to Piazza del Commune.

I called on him for help a lot actually. I feel like Francis was one of reasons I got better and now Assisi is even more magical than it was before.

So, in celebration of being well,

(And Mom and Dad getting their grand tour!)

Here is Assisi ...

Assisi, Italy 2010

"We praise You, Lord, for Sister Earth,

Who sustains us with her fruits, colored flowers and herbs ...

"We praise You, Lord, for all Your creatures,

especially for Brother Sun,

who is the day through whom You give us light."

"And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor,

of You Most High, he bears your likeness."

~Saint Francis of Assisi

Much more to come from Assisi, the Calendimaggio festival

and the Sanctuaries in Greccio and Fonte Columbo!