OKTOBERFEST

I thought I could not leave Switzerland before I experienced the famous Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. Cat and her friend Krista were visiting so thought it was a perfect time for us all to make the 6 hour drive up to Munich.That meant we would be driving on the autobahn. Of course since I am a control freak, I drove. I probably did not drive as fast as Marc would have, but I did hit a respectable 160km a few times. You have to be careful not to enter the fast lane until it is safe. We were passed by cars on our left going so fast it made our car shake as they passed. We figured some cars were going at least 130 mph. It really takes alot of concentration, but it is fun to experience it.
Once we arrived we had dinner with our good friend Hauns, who lives in Munich. He took us to a restaurant that used to be a monestary for our fill of pork knuckle, sausage, potatoe salad and sauerkraut.

The next morning, with Hauns as our guide we arrived at the fest. Hauns answered my request by wearing his traditional leiderhosen.

Once inside the gates it is like a carnaval with buildings (called tents) lining each side that house the different beer breweries. Some are more wild than others. We picked one that mantained some sense of sanity. We were a little worried since all of the tables were already full and they do not allow you to wander around drinking beer unless you have a table, and it was only noon! But Marc had full confidence in Hauns' ability to work his magic and sure enough we were squeezed into a table. First order of business, ordering a beer!

It did not take long for us to make friends with our neighbors and server. It makes it more fun when the dancing, singing and toasting

starts!

We enjoyed the craziness for about 5 hours until we were kicked out of our seats for a previous reservation. I decided after my first beer to be the designated driver and had long since switched to apple cider so Hauns could enjoy the fun. Good thing I did since the police were conducting a breathalyzer check point on the freeway.

Before we left we had to get our fix of local sausage! With tummies full and not too much beer consumed, Hauns hosted a walking tour around the old town of Munich. It was a good time for all to sober up a little so we could get ready for our dinner and more local beer of course!

ASSISI

It has been a dream of mine to visit Assisi since reading the book The Reluctant Saint. Assisi is the birth place of Francis of Assisi and where he lived and died. I was not able to get there when I visited Italy with my daughter Megan in 2006, so it was a must when Maureen and I did our Italy trip this past July.

We arrived via train from Rome on a very hot day, July 23rd. Once dropped off at the very small train station, we took Rick Steves advice and bought a bus ticket from the small newsstand for the ride up the winding hill to the town.

Once we arrived in town we wondered around until we came across our hotel which was a quiet villa tucked off the main plaza.Assisi is a beautifully preserved medeival town that spills downhill to its famous Basilica of St Francis. We spent our first day wondering the cobblestone little streets, shopping in the local artisan shops, enjoyed a glass of wine in front of the beautiful fountain and paid a visit to Cathedral of San Rufino where the original baptism font where St. Francis was baptized in 1182 and St Claire in 1194. Eighteen years later their paths crossed in this same church, when Clare attended a class and became mesmerized by the teacher - Francis. To this day the children of Assisi are still baptized here in the same font.

Our next stop was the Basillica of St. Clare dedicated to the founder of the Order of the Poor Clares. Inside the church we found the original crucifix that changed Francis' life. In 1206, an emaciated, soul-searching, stark-raving Francis knelt before this crucifix and asked for guidance. The crucifix spoke: "Go and rebuild my Church, which you can see has fallen into ruin." And Francis followed the call. (no pictures allowed) Once outside the church we enjoyed the view of the olive groves of the Poor Clares since the 13th century.

The next morning we met our local guide hired for the day. She walked us thru the village and then on to The Basilica of St. Francis.

The basilica is not one church but two. The Romanesque Lower Church came first (1228). The low ceilings and candlelit interior make an appropriately solemn setting for St. Francis's tomb, found in the crypt below the main alter. The Gothic Upper Church, built a half century later is strikingly different, with soaring arches and tall stained glass windows (the first in Italy). Inside, both churches are covered floor to ceiling with some of Europe's finest frescoes by the leading artist of the day: Cimabue, Giotto,Simone Martini, and Peitro Lorenzetti. The Lower Church is dim and full of candlelit shadows, and the Upper Church is bright and airy.

After visiting the beautiful church and much discussion, we headed off to the next town of Spello for a leisurely lunch at a family owned wine cellar. Our group tasted about 7 different wines while being served local fare cooked by his family, just for us!! All along with a great expert wine maker. Some of our food: Bruschetta, different Pates, Pasta with fresh grated truffle, Prosciutto and melon and local cheeses with local honey.

After lunch we did a short walk around the village of Spello and then on back to Assisi for a nice evening. Once in our room, I happened to open the window, which by the way looked out on to beautiful gardens, and heard what I figured out must be alot of people saying what sounded like the rosary in Italian. We ran outside to see that the whole town (men, women young and old, children, priests and nuns) were proceeding thru town reciting the rosary. We decided to follow. All of the shop owners came out to stand at their shop doors as we all passed. The prcession ended in front of the Basilica of St. Francis for Saturday night mass. What a great way to end an afternoon!

We ended a perfect day at a nice dinner at Ristorante Medioevo, suggested by our guide Rick Steves.