I am officially 33 in all time-zones! Thank you to everyone who sent birthday wishes, both physical and telepathic. I have dubbed 33 the WhatEver age (W=3 fingers and E=3 fingers; three three!), so I am gonna take things as they come, all laissez-faire like. My mom always used to get me the coolest cakes for my birthday (and by cool, I’m talking about a replica of a Starfleet Captain’s uniform, to name the best of them!), so in keeping with this tradition, EB and I headed to Perugia , Italy’s chocolate capital, in search of cake.Perugia is capital of the province of Umbria, which is a magical place with enough rolling green hills to make Maria von Trapp want to cut up curtains for everyone, enough labyrinthine streets in the hill-top towns to make the Minotaur’s head spin, and enough chocolate to make even the likes of me say "Uh actually, I think that’ll do for now." The city itself contrasts the old (within the ancient city walls you’ll find the most exquisite stained glass I have even seen as well as a billion beautiful Byzantine Christs) with the new (outside the walls, there are blue lights in the public bathrooms so druggies can’t find their veins) and is a wonderful place just to wander. Most importantly, it has the Etruscan Chocohotel, dedicated to all the chocolate a girl could ever want.
From Perugia, we headed to Assisi to hang with the monks, Franciscan style. Assisi is the birthplace of St. Francis, famous not only for lending his name to my youngest brother, Billy Franky, but also for (after a youth of debauchery and upon being asked by Christ Himself to repair His house ) renouncing his worldly possessions and founding the Franciscan Order of monks, dedicated to worshipping God through the beauty of a simple life. The city is absolutely stunning, stretched across a small hill, with peach coloured brick buildings that glow in the sunlight (we were lucky enough to get a little sunlight in an otherwise freezing day). The approach through the winding streets to the Basilica of St. Francis, which sits perched on a cliff overlooking the patchwork of fields and vineyards below and is fronted by an almost quixotic looking statue of Francis on a horse (one of the most moving statues I have ever seen), is absolutely spectacular.
Legend has it that St. Francis had an Ace-Ventura way with animals and even preached to a flock of enraptured birds who did not fly away until he was finished. Figuring ‘when in Assisi’, I took it upon myself to do some preaching of my own, armed with a sermon prepared about the glory of the dinosaurian ancestry of birds. Unexpectedly, the birds did not seem that eager to flock to me. I did manage to corner one or two at the train station and after hitting them with the revelation that they come from greatness, I did my best to convince them that they can do better with their lives. I will admit that my congregation of two didn’t seem outwardly moved by my speech, but I’m sure they’ll go home and ruminate for a while. I am pretty sure I saw tears in those glassy, beady eyes, and while EB seems to think they were of boredom, I am banking that they were of exaltation. I’ll post the video on facebook and you can be the judge!
Life in Firenze since I last wrote has included beautiful views and climbs around the city (877 steps yesterday alone; incidentally at the very top of one of the towers, I was greeted by a Storm Trooper sticker on the garbage can!), some wicked Gregorian chanting in a cool little chapel on the hill, and lots of imbibing. The biggest highlight for me was at the History of Science Museum which houses, I kid you not, the middle right finger of Galileo Galilei! It was removed from his hand when they moved his body to its current resting place about a hundred years after he died. It now sits, erect and defiant, in a glass case in the museum, effectively flipping the bird for all eternity to all who opposed his ground breaking views! It has been a wonderful week of birds!
As some of you will recall, the mission for last year’s adventure involved taking photos of my 3PO, R2, and Boba Fett PEZZ Dispensers in various Star Wars locations in Tunisia. The mission I have chosen to accept for my current adventure is a little different, albeit just as odd. Think Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants meets the travelling Gnome from Amelie; but with a somewhat fashionably challenged Guinness jacket. Why, you ask? Dunno! This is just how I roll. This mission will likely culminate in a stop at the Guinness Brewery in Dublin, where I am certain the locals will mutter "bloody lookin’ edjit tourists" under their breath. For those of you on facebook, check out the group Clan of the Travelling Black Gold, for updates on the ongoing saga of the jacket. For those of you not on facebook, whatcha doin’? The latest stops for the jacket have included the statue of David, the Basilica of Saint Francis, Firenze at sunset, and the Duomo of Firenze (look for a rather ingenious, if I do say so myself, photo through the hood of the jacket!). Thanks for having me (this was a long one!).
I miss you all and hope you’re well.
Love, Jen
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