Adventures on Mt. Subasio by Kirsten and Michaela

This morning started with a lovely hike on Mt. Subasio. The views from the top were simply fantastic and we were blessed with wonderful weather. The clouds hung low over the city of Assisi and it's surrounding countryside, creating a blanket of sky that was truly majestic. While the wind was chilly and strong, the sun shone brightly and we were eager to begin the trek to the hermitage of St. Francis. The hermitage was situated in the mountainside about half way down Mt. Subasio. The hermitage was silent and spiritual, and it appeared that we were some of the only people visiting- despite the fact that monks currently reside in the building. Making our way through the hermitage was a unique experience. It consisted of a series of small, stone-walled rooms that were accessible by doorways through which each one of us had to duck. The rooms were extremely simple, containing only a piece of religious artwork, if anything at all. Eventually we emerged from the building on the other side, through what seemed like the smallest doorway of all. From there we made our way up a path in the woods which was adorned with statues, one of St. Francis lying peacefully on the ground. After exploring the area a bit, we followed the uscita (exit) path around the hermitage to the entrance. From there some of us continued down Mt. Subasio, stopping at a gorgeous overlook to eat the lunches prepared for us by the hotel staff. Uwe lead a group (Michaela, Inga and Britta) down a "trail" that headed in the most direct path to Assisi. This adventure meant a straight-down path of rocks that was treacherous to say the least. We all made it back with no major injuries, through sore muscles tomorrow will be no surprise. The afternoon was left unscheduled; we were free to wander around Assisi as we pleased. The day was finished with another delicious meal prepared by the restaurant staff. All in all, a wonderful, though somewhat tiring, day with great memories.