Raining Gatti e Cani (Cats and Dogs) per Pasqua!

Yesterday was an absolutely lovely day, fairly opposite from the constant rain falling today. This is the first significant (like activity-stopping) weather since I've been in Italy. My plan was to go to church and then pedal to Bevagna and spend the afternoon there. Instead, I've stayed in since church and have watched Italian tv--cartoons, westerns (dubbed, it's strange in Italian) and now world news. Back to yesterday & I apologize, this isn't posted in chronological order:

Finally, here's Assisi as seen from the road yesterday:













 (Click on the picture to see it bigger.)

Also seen on the road:

I have figured it out that reading maps & trying to figure out directions (including using Google map directions) is absolutely pointless. It's just important to know which towns are close to which other towns, what's north, south, east & west, follow town signs and do whatever intuition says is most right.

When I was walking around town yesterday morning (before it was warm enough to ride), it was so much fun to walk down new roads and see where they lead. Here's a nice vista.

That's how I ended up finding the shops where I picked up some cute, inexpensive clothes. At one store, I was talked into pants that are two sizes smaller than I typically wear--but, as the guy said, it's how the Italian girls wear clothes--small. They're black pants with gold stitching and gold zippers all over. I like them a lot (no, they aren't comfortable). Let me tell you, these pants are as effective as going on a diet. Clearly, I have no intention of starving myself in the happy land of amazing food.

I've found that I really enjoy conversing with shop owners and listening to others as they shop. The proprietors want to talk to me because I have money to spend in their stores (or they're just nice people), I don't care their intention. I try to buy one small thing everywhere I go (of course, it has to be something I need), and that buys me a full experience and social opportunity.

When I was at the market yesterday buying a couple of things, the line was pretty long. I find it interesting that even when someone is buying very few things (and everyone only pays in cash), each transaction seems to take a long time. I'm not sure why this is yet. There isn't an express lane. By the time I left, the line stretched to the back of the store. Definitely Easter shoppers, but lines tend to be long and slow from what I've found so far.

Same situation at the Post Office. I needed to send in some paperwork. Take a number. Read my Italian-English dictionary. Wait. Finally they take me and I find out that the special stamp I need can only be bought at certain other post offices. Hopefully they're open tomorrow. It surprised me that every business seemed to have normal hours Friday and Saturday before Easter.

Here are pictures taken from the street fair/market, whatever it's called:

Awesome, huge olives.

Sun-dried tomatoes.

Sweets.

Cannoli--I did the taste test & the one I'd had before (that I discussed on the blog) was the best, but I'm not complaining about these. The fair runs through tomorrow. One more cannolo only if the weather holds and I have 3+ hours to burn it off!

I liked this guy--he was very friendly and generous with samples. I bought some really tasty, soft cheese from him, I wish I knew what kind it is. Something that impressed me with the people selling their wares is that after weighing the food, they would round down as to how much I owed them and I always got proper change back (sometimes more than I expected). Considering they all know I'm American (maybe Italians don't wear pony tails?), I got a very good impression of their business ethic.

At the beginning of the Easter Vigil mass, everyone gathered in the courtyard (this is standard Catholic, if you're not familiar). There was a huge fire going in a big metal container. 

Then with candles lit, everyone proceeded into the church. Not sure the significance of all of the people in the white robes (men and women).

Contrary to the way this picture looks, town was packed and loud at 1:20 am (when the Vigil mass was over). In fact, people were walking around all over with cups of beer, all ages were out. For that matter, all ages were in church, too.

Easter Sunday

This is the scene as taken from the steps of the cathedral.

Some quick observations about Sunday mass and Easter in general: I didn't see a lot of the Easter bunny in shops here, but there is some Easter bunny (particularly in chocolate form) and what's particularly popular here are these really large, hollow chocolate eggs (large like ~1 foot tall). I'd like to see what's in other towns. Here, the Perugina chocolate factory is extremely popular/famous around Italy and they produce these eggs. I'm looking forward to the free tour.

Easter colors as Easter merchandise in stores have been sterotypical pastel. However, in church, I saw almost all dark colors (blacks and browns, furs, boots). People are all very fashionable, but hair standards appear lower than clothing standards (possibly because this is a humid climate and Italian hair doesn't like humidity--I can tell you that from experience!)

The mass was beautiful, but no different in form/function from American Catholic Easter day mass. The choir was remarkably beautiful. The last song they sang was "Alleluia." Lots of people stuck around to hear the whole thing. Oh yeah, and when people wish each other Peace be with You, they often kiss on both cheeks and say "Pace." So this is very similar to the way it happens in the States except for the cheek kissing (this is commonly seen on the streets when friends greet each other, as well). The street fair is still going on today, don't know if there's anything out of the ordinary going on, I'd guess not as lots of food has been bought in the past few days, I'm sure huge feasts are being eaten!

And here's my mini-feast:

I even used the oven. I suppose the food here inspires me (ah, and I have time!) This is egg, pasta noodles, sun-dried tomatoes, bok choy, leftover rosemarino pizza with mozzarella bufala melted over it. You'll have to trust me that it was good.

Now to figure out what to do tomorrow if it continues to rain. Nice to have a day at home today! Hope you all had a very enjoyable Easter Sunday!!!