I Remember ... Celebration in Assisi

Happy 36th Anniversary! This trip is our dream-come-true ... the best gift ever!
We were up early, packed and had our luggage out before breakfast. We will be on the road all day traveling to Assisi. Before getting on the road we stopped for a demonstration on the art of inlaid woodworking, one of the crafts of the Sorrento peninsula. It was just a short stop before getting on the road toward the province of Umbria, "the green heart of Italy" and the city of Assisi.
The weather is very warm but the bus is cool. I'm so glad Nancy suggested I pack a pashmina ... the most versatile item in my suitcase. It kept me warm and comfortable.
When we arrived our bus dropped us off at the bottom of the hill and we had quite a walk to our hotel, the Hotel Giotto ... in addition, it was a very warm day.
We met in the hotel lobby for check-in and an explanation of our stay there. The view was breathtaking from the balcony. We had a tour scheduled for the Basilica of St. Francis. From our guide we learned much about this town's famous hometown boy and his message of love and simplicity where he taught by example ... living without worldly goods. Last Sunday in church we sang, "All Creatures of Our God and King" written by St. Francis. Memories from our trip rushed back and the song touched my heart as never before.
I was not aware of the 1997 5.5-magnitude earthquake that not only damaged buildings but also the tourism industry there. We had time to walk around this medieval town before dinner exploring shops and taking many pictures.
When we got to our room our luggage was not there ... a little panic since we were close to the scheduled dinner at our hotel. Walt found it several floors above sitting outside the wrong room. Whew! I wanted to clean up and be presentable for our anniversary dinner.
Dinner was served in the lower level and we enjoyed a great evening dining with Alan & Sue from Australia and Donna and two of her daughters ... Dad and another daughter were still sick. After dinner we took our first group photo out on a patio. We enjoyed visiting with everyone until late into the night. It has been fun getting to know people on a more personal level.Can't remember a better anniversary!