With our clothes basking in the Italian sun, we headed to Assisi. We found a place to park near the northern gate to the city and walked to the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. We weren't able to gain entrance so we walked into town. Kelly and Andy were looking for "bubble wrap" to use in packing their bicycles and that became our shopping objective for the day. We found some in a pottery store and didn't realize at the time how soon it would be useful.

It was a hot, muggy, day in Assisi and some of us soon became quite thirsty. A sidewalk cafe provided refreshment. Like many such establishments, it had large umbrellas that would have sheltered us from the sun had it been shining at that time. The umbrellas did come in handy – our explorations were interrupted by a rain shower. [To see a map of Assisi, complete with links to pictures of the major structures, click on the graphic to the right.]

Once the rain stopped, we pressed on. Walking through Assisi was a good preparation for the towns we would spend the rest of the week exploring. Cobblestone streets, barely wide enough for a car, are intersected by walkways that lead up or down the hillside to private homes and courtyards. Many of these walkways are neat and orderly, with lots of flowers in bloom.

We reached the center of town and found a small cafe. The menu had lots of appetizing items, complete with pictures. Little did we realize that they were all pre-made, microwave meals. Tasty enough, but not exactly the epitome of Italian cuisine.

After lunch, another rain shower chased us into the cafe for cover. Once the rain broke, we headed back to the car. Another shower caught us en route, and Meredith and Kelly used the bubble wrap as an impromptu umbrella. Once we made it to the car, we decided to take a ride through the local countryside of Umbria.

We wandered around the landscape, and I can't tell you exactly what route we took. At one point, we came upon the hilltop village Bettona. Farther along, we entered the district seat of Perugia.

Finally, we decided to end our wanderings and return to our condo. Our sun-baked laundry? Not! Our clothes were as soggy as when they came out of the washer. We moved the rack under cover and wrung out a few essentials that we brought inside to dry. A quiet meal in the condo completed our day.