These days, yellow and white banners – the colors of the Vatican flag – flutter off balconies and over pointed-arched medieval doorways cheerily blending with the vases of red geraniums hanging on Assisi pink limestone homes. The town launched into festive mode as of late September, preparing in collective euphoria for the arrival of Pope…
On the last day of Citta’ della Pieve’s October saffron festival, guided visits through the town focus on “the saffron hues in Renaissance master Perugino’s Citta’ della Pieve masterpieces.” Art intertwined with a culinary celebration: where else but in Italy? Diane and I missed the guided Perugino tours on our visit to the Giornate della…
We let the celery lead on a late October Sunday in Trevi. After all, we were there for the celebration of the renowned sedano nero (“black celery”) of Trevi, one of fifteen or so IGP products of Umbria (Indicazione Geografica Protetta – indicating a product which may be grown ONLY in a specifically restricted area).…
On October 3rd – date of the death of St. Francis of Assisi in 1226 – hundreds of African and Syrian refugees tragically died, too, drowning close to the coast of the island of Lampedusa. Fleeing hunger, wars and denial of basic human rites in their own country, they did not quite make it to…