Ciao from Italy! Wish I could post photos but WordPress seems to hate iPads. But trust me, we are seeing great stuff!
D’Aun and I spent the first few days in Rome overcoming jet lag and touring the city. Our tour guide, Angelo, was great and created special events that we’ll remember a long time. For instance, the first day we headed out of town to an olive mill that his brother-in-law owned … and along the way we stopped at the bridge just outside of the old city of Rome where Emperor Constantine had his vision of the cross and then won the battle that secured his rule of the Roman Empire. It established the Christian faith in Europe and changed history forever. For a history geek like me … pure joy.
The next day Angelo took us on a Vatican tour that was simply incredible. We arrived very early in the morning and had several rooms of the Vatican all to ourselves before the crowds arrived. The Sistine Chapel was actually quiet for a change, and no more than 30-40 people were in it while we were there. Angelo said hello to a friend who worked at the Vatican, and then he told us, “That’s the guy who creates the smoke when they choose a new Pope.” It’s that kind of thing that make Angelo tours unique!
By the way, I’ve decided that Italian coffee is worth drinking and am changing my long standing boycott against coffee! Or at least modifying it.
After Rome we spent five days in Todi, a small town in Umbria, with our new friends Rob & Janina Cushman. They live on 12-acres of vineyards, olive orchards, and wide open space. We enjoyed their 2007 wine (very good!) and homemade honey. Their hospitality was simply off the charts and I’d encourage anybody looking for an Italian countryside experience to visit.
And talk about perfect timing … we arrived as Rob & Janina were harvesting their first olives of the season and preparing them for milling. The very next day after we arrived was the opening of the local frantoio the Italian term for olive mill. Thus we were able to see the 350 kilos of freshly harvested olives turn into 31 kilos of warm fresh olive oil! You’ve not lived until you taste olive oil fresh out of the mill. D’Aun was, of course, in heaven.
Rob and Janina invited us to church on Sunday, so we joined them in Assisi at the English speaking Anglican church. A small group meets in an old Catholic church that is simply gorgeous. And what a joy to worship in the very city of St. Francis.
While in Umbria, we visited the Gordon College program in Orvieto. This program is located in an 800-year old monastery built along the Orvieto city wall, with incredible views of the valley below. Getting a tour of the monastery, then lunch with the students (two of whom are from Westmont), was a great way to spend a rainy day. Later we enjoyed the gorgeous Duomo in Orvieto, which to us was far more impressive than the well known Duomo in Sienna.
On the way back to Todi we visited Civita di Bagnoreggio. Wow. Words cannot describe. I’ll post pictures later.
Our last night with Rob & Janina was memorable for the good company they had around their dinner table, the great food, the abundant wine, and fascinating conversation, and of course the after dinner homemade grappa and limoncello. Sadly, after dinner we received news from home that dear friends were suffering … and one had gone to Jesus at an unexpectedly young age. It was a sad evening of tears and frantic phone calls. D’Aun and I prayed, and prayed some more. Not a lot of sleep last night.
Today we find ourselves in a beautiful villa hotel just outside of Montepulciano. A rather slow and scattered day, reflecting our shock at the news about our friends. But we rejoice in the beauty around us, the glory of Autumn in Tuscany, and the faith that sustains us. God is good … if a bit mysterious at times.