Sunday, April 25, 2010

Francesco e Chiara. BFFL?


Assisi is a small town located in Umbria. It was the birthplace for St. Francis and St. Clare, who were best friends for life and both started religious orders because that's how much they loved Jesus. The two churches have each of the saints' remains and some excellent relics, such as Clare's hair and Francis' bloody stocking (OK, it wasn't bloody, but it should have been because of the stigmata, right?)

Here is a picture of St. Clare's church and convent:
This is the main square in Assisi:
And this is St. Francis' Church:

This is where Francis' father used to chain him up for doing such horrible activities as hanging out with the poor and feeding the hungry. I would have locked him up too, the nerve.

The square in front of St. Clare's had a troupe of men dressed in medieval clothing and shooting crossbows, the thwomp sound that the arrow made when hitting the target made my skin crawl. I guess that is one of the highlights of the events in Assisi. That and praying.


After the crossbow excitement we found a local playground, and let me tell you Italian playgrounds are not the same as American playgrounds. We have slides, swings, tick-tack-toe, and if you're lucky a tire swing. Italians like to keep the risk in the playing, they have spirals, chains, balance boards, ropes, and spinning poles, but good luck trying to figure them out and get the hang of them before you crack your skull open. Don't believe me? Just look at Lindsey's face:

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