Thursday, May 11, 2017

Daily Walkabouts




People often ask us, what do you do when you are in Italy.  I come here to decompress, the life here is simple, unstructured, and beautiful.  Around every bend in the road in this small town in Umbria there is beauty, whether it is an open door
a lane lined with blooming plants, 
or the view from a garden, 

these things make you stop and enjoy your surroundings.  In the US, I'm too busy to look, and too frantic to take the time.
Today Dr. C. and I did the first of our daily walkabouts, stopping at the bar for a cappuccino and cornetto,

and enjoying the view, then walking down the streets, taking photos of the sidewalk and balcony gardens just beginning to bloom.


Spello is called the city of flowers, and that is because on Corpus Domini, the streets are lined with designs done in flower petals the festival is called l'infiorata.  At this time of year, the stores, apartments, and balconies are all dressed with blooming plants.  There is a competition in neighborhoods, and between families to see who has the most beautiful display of flowers.




The weather has begun to turn, and we will have a high of about 76 degrees today; perfect for walking, and relaxing.
Continuing on our walk, we saw the church of San Lorenzo was open.  In the 17 years we have been coming here, this church has been closed, and the bells have been silenced.  Today we were stunned at the beauty inside this church.








Around most corners here, you will find things like the Church of San Lorenzo, a lovely view, or some beautiful flowers.





One street is known for its presepi, or nativities, and here are a few leftovers.  

Slowing down is the key word here; enjoying the sights and sounds of a small village, where the hardest decision is what to eat.  Ciao for now.

1 comment:

  1. I agree 100%. Recently, I posted on a travel blog that in Spello 'one is never in such a hurry that he or she will not stop or cross the street to say hello to a friend.' In contrast, here in the States, a quick wave and a somewhat generic greeting are exchanged without slowing pace.

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