Return to Italy

I am back in Assisi, helping again with the students' program.  I've given some mini lectures on Dante, helped in the kitchen, and been the designated driver for the commute up and down the mountain.  The little Panda is just as difficult to drive, and the steep, narrow road is just as harrowing and lovely as I remembered!

My first day back, we went to Festival of Two Worlds, a famous art and theater festival in the hilltop town of  Spoleto.

We saw a dark, modern ballet in the evening, and the dancers were fantastic.  They put extremes of both emotional and physical power into their dancing.

Spoleto is also famous for its Roman bridge:

Goethe walked across this bridge!

On our way to Spoleto, we stopped at some ancient Roman springs.  The water was crystal clear, and I could easily believe fauns and gods haunted this peaceful place.

Nearby was the small Temple of Clituno.  Some of the girls posed up among the columns:

It was a busy, beautiful first day!