Successo! (24 hours later)
27 de junho de 2024, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 91 °F
A very, very long day of travel but I am ensconced in my little apartment in Siena. I had forgotten that 2nd floor means 3rd floor in Europe. This year’s luggage is much heavier than lastLeia mais
Siena, Day 1
29 de junho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☁️ 88 °F
I woke up early and went for a walk to get my bearings. After some rest, reading, and practice, I walked back to the old city center to get dinner. It’s a bit over a mile to get there - I could takeLeia mais
Siena, Day 2
30 de junho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F
Another hot day with lots of walking (about 13 miles!) It was a similar agenda to yesterday, with rest and practice between two trips “into town,” the second including a visit to the Siena DuomoLeia mais
Siena Duomo
30 de junho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F
I recommend a “skip-the-line” ticket for sights like this; I was spared 20? minutes standing in the hot sun by one today.
To Assisi!
1 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☁️ 81 °F
I had a long day of bus and train travel to get to Assisi yesterday. It started a little stressfully - I walked down the street to the bus stop, waited for a little while, and then watched my #3 busLeia mais
Assisi wanderings
3 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F
I was awake anyway so I got up with the sun and walked up (and up!) to the hilltop above to Rocca Maggiore, the 14th century fortress watching over Assisi and the valley below. Stunning views, asLeia mais
Busy day
4 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F
Several rehearsals, a piano recital to attend, and my first performance in Assisi made this a busy one. I’m enjoying playing here; the wide range of repertoire is particularly fun.
The performanceLeia mais
Hermitage hike
5 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ 🌙 59 °F
This was a six-mile out-and-back hike, very little of which was flat. Needless to say, I was very slow. I was grateful for the light schedule (no rehearsals for me today) and the cooler weather thatLeia mais
Eremo delle Carceri
5 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F
I hiked up (UP - more on that in another post) to the mountainside hermitage where St. Francis went to pray and preach to the birds. It’s since been expanded to several buildings and various otherLeia mais
Random Assisi sights
5 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F
I haven’t been feeling well (a little cold, maybe? Allergies?) so I’ve been lying low for the last day or so. Still walking around a little bit and seeing stuff, though.
Assisi, que e là
7 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F
Here and there in Assisi
A walk into the valley
9 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F
We had a day with no rehearsals, but the temperature has risen this week, so I got up early to take a long walk down into the valley below Assisi. This meant that I had to walk back UP to Assisi, butLeia mais
Assisi moments
11 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F
Keeping busy but time for some random pics…
Friday morning walk
12 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F
I was awake early and got up to wander around. The town just doesn’t open until later in the morning so it was very peaceful. Also cool, which feels lovely right now! I am proud to say that theseLeia mais
More Friday sights
12 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F
After morning rehearsals, an amazing lunch on a restaurant terrace and then a brief walk down into the Bosco di San Francesco (woods of St. Francis). Unfortunately this trail isn’t open until 10am,Leia mais
Early bird gets the light
13 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F
Another early morning walk. I’m finding favorite routes. Today I walked up near Rocca Maggiore again but then took a road out of town into the woods and mountains. So pretty! May have to doLeia mais
Saturday, part 2
13 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F
I’m having a hard time keeping up with what day it is. Busy here but fun!
Sunday morning walk
14 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F
Even two weeks into my stay in Assisi, it’s a joy to get up early in the morning and find new streets to explore.
Final day of Assisi
15 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F
One last day of walks, delicious meals, rehearsals, and a final concert. This festival has been so special - lovely people, great music, historic venues. I hope to be back next year!
Arriving in Florence
16 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☀️ 93 °F
I took a bus to the Assisi train station and then the train to Assisi to meet my dear friend Angela for six days of some sightseeing and hiking. We walked around to get oriented and had some greatLeia mais
Via Francigena: Gambassi - San Gimignano
17 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F
The Via Francigena is a pilgrimage from Canterbury to Rome. Since we walked the Camino de Santiago last year, Angela and I were excited to walk a little bit of this path. So beautiful! It was an 8.5Leia mais
Uffizi and other Florence sights
18 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F
We spent three hours walking through the Uffizi Gallery. Could’ve been there longer - it’s a staggering amount of art! We also went to the outdoor market where so much beautiful leather is soldLeia mais
Cinque Terre
19 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F
This was a long, hot, exhausting, and totally amazing day trip. We joined a group tour for this, which started with a two-hour bus ride west to La Spezia. Two short train rides took us to the secondLeia mais
Riccardi Medici Palace
20 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☀️ 91 °F
After the trip to Pratolino, which included an unplanned trip on a tram car, we went to one of the Medici palaces here in Florence, now a museum.
Palazzo Vecchio
21 de julho de 2024, Itália ⋅ ☀️ 91 °F
Another amazing Medici palace that’s now a museum. We didn’t understand that we needed to buy an extra ticket to climb the tower, so that will wait for another day. The museum below was definitelyLeia mais


















































































































































































































































