Green only in the distance here..but we're walking on an ancient Roman aqueduct!

Umbria

An Italian colleague organized SYA folks to do the Peace Walk October 7, 2018, from Perugia to Assisi.  Daniel was all in.  We were all all in: 24 kilometers, a chance to see Perugia, a chance to see Assisi.  We were so excited that we made reservations to stay in Perugia for Friday and Saturday nights at an Agriturismi Turistici, a bed and breakfast spot with a farm, outdoor pool, fresh breakfast, gorgeous grounds.  Having gotten economical deals at airbandbtype spots for every family excursion thus far, we were ready to treat the kids to their own mattresses (okay, three mattresses for four kids...but one was a queen, and this was still a step up from one or two kids on the floor, bribed with the prize of not having the middle seat in the Fiat for a day or choice of movie next family night...the latter not yet fulfilled from almost a month ago...need to get on that...) and a pool.

If you want to go the Perugina chocolate factory in Perugia, make your reservations well ahead of time: by Saturday morning, not only were there no available tours for Saturday, there were no available tours for two weeks.  Ah, well, we can still find chocolate in Perugia.

Also, if you are actually going to book the place with an outdoor pool, perhaps go to that place when it is still hot out and the pool is not covered for the season.

Rain.

Rain.

Rain.

But here's the thing: I, who need the sun, easily accepted this rain because I have been feeling starved for more green.  In Viterbo, the window boxes are vibrant, and the mini-palm trees on balconies add that Mediterranean feel; green hangs down some outside walls.  But Viterbo is also a medieval city with winding roads (intentionally confusing to stymie invaders) and a big wall around it.  It feels dark at times with the tall buildings, the cobblestone streets, the maze of roads.  Outside the walls, a mere thirty yards from our apartment, there are trees and grass and even a small park.   But I'm used to the green of our yard (admittedly not as green as those of our neighbors), Prospect Hill trails two blocks away, Thayer Academy's campus and fields.  I'm used to spaces a bit more open.  I'm glad that we live in the city and within the walls of Viterbo: being new, we need the easily accessible liveliness and stores and people and Italian.  We need to be able to walk everywhere.  We are part of life here because we are within these walls.

And still: I've been needing a nature fix.

Umbria is the landscape I've been craving: green upon green.  I don't know the name of trees or the particular mountains I see, but I know that, even with Act I of Othello not yet prepped for Monday morning, I am so glad to be here in Perugia.  Everywhere we look we see grass and trees: at the agriturismi; on the ride into Perugia; from the vista spots in Perugia.  We don't have to make a plan to find a hike because we are surrounded by the green.

On the walk home from soccer today (first time!), Connor told me that he liked Tuscany, where we hiked in Bagno Vignoni.  He said, "I liked the forest around us and the hills and the fields.  It was awesome."  I agree with him: Tuscany was picturesque in every way.  It was like so many postcards and photographs and paintings that shout Tuscany.

But Umbria.  Umbria went beyond all expectations: green.

When I told a colleague about my love of Perugia and Assisi Monday morning, she said, "Yes.  The Italians call it il cuore verde d'Italia."
I gave her a blank look instead of my usual, ubiquitous, signalling-yes-when-I-really-have-no-idea -what's-going-on and want to be agreeable and appreciative response, "Si.  Si."

She smiles, "The green heart of Italy."