another eye opens

Another day we took a road trip to Perugia — Luca drew us a map by hand, which we referred to as “Luca’s GPS.”

Perugia is an ancient hill town, the largest in Umbria.

It’s famous for, among other things, its chocolate (baci). And the duomo houses the wedding ring of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Its traditional symbols are the gryphon (above) and the lion.

We hired a guide to show us around, the friendly, handsome, and extremely knowledgeable Paolo.

He walked us through the scenic route, pointing out the ancient Roman viaduct that still runs through the university district.

He showed us this tiny former chapel, now a fancy clothing store.

He walked us through the spooky underground city, telling us about how much Perugians hate the Pope, dating back to Pope Paul the Third (or the Turd, as Paolo pronounced it) and the war that started in 1538 with a tax on salt. In retaliation for the town’s resistance, the Pope sent soldiers to build walls burying the house belonging to the city’s wealthiest family, the Baglioni. This area was only recently unearthed and now is used for holiday markets.

The Etruscan Arch

and the modern art

Very enjoyable tour

Our lunch at Il Cantinone was the best meal we had all week.

And the light was exquisite for photos — here is John.

After lunch, there was shopping. Of course.

We brought back some Umbrian wine for dinner.

Hijinks ensued.