Italy 2011 Blog

Pastor Kurt Billings and members of the congregation

are traveling through Italy June 25 - July 7, 2011

Florence - Cinque Terre - Assisi - Rome

June 28, 2011

We have arrived! After months of talking about Italy, it is time for Italy to speak, and Italy has a lot to say. Our first sight after arriving is the Academia, the museum which houses many Renaissance works of art, but none greater than Michelangelo's David. David is clearly the center of attention, and although we are tired, seeing the great marble figure of David wakes us up, and let's us know we are standing in the presence of a master sculpture. We are in Italy.

The next day, we are off to Siena. We leave at 11 am, but many people who normally wake up early this day don't. Maybe it is because they are tired, or maybe it is because they are relaxed and are able to rest deeply. Italy has a way of doing that. After a wonderful four course meal at the trattoria Gallo Nero, we are off to enjoy the old city of Siena - Europe's largest Medieval city. By 8 pm, people are energized from all they have seen and experienced. Italy has a lot to say, and speaks in many ways- through beautiful art, stunning architecture, delicious food and a slower pace of life. Italy is finally speaking, and we are listening.

June 29th, 2011

We are leaving the city of Florence and are on our way to the Cinque Terre. But before we get there, we have a stop in the delightful little city of Lucca. The old city of Lucca is surrounded by a well preserved wall which was once intended to keep the city safe. Now, it is used mostly for biking and taking a delightful stroll. We are dropped off at the bike rental shop, and a number of people from the group rent bikes to ride the 2.5 miles atop the old city wall. My wife and I choose to walk it, but before we do, we spend some time wandering down the streets of the old city. That is a part of the charm of these old cities – whether it is biking or walking – they offer a number of ways to lose yourself in their beauty. Dolce far niente the Italians say: the sweetness of doing nothing. In Lucca, it is very sweet indeed.

June 30th, 2011 The Cinque Terra

The Cinque Terre, which literally means five lands, is one of the most beautiful sights in all of Italy. As the travel guru Rick Steves says, “There is not a museum in sight. Just sun, sea, sand, wine…” and I would add, delicious food. The Cinque Terra is the birthplace of pesto, and my wife is intent on getting a pesto pizza, which she has craved since she first tasted one in 2008, while we were here on Sabbatical. It will no doubt be one of our first stops off the boat in Vernazza.

The Cinque Terra is a place to simply get outside and enjoy! Some in our group are very adventurous, and they hike the seven mile trail which connects Monterosso with Vernazza. Others, including my wife and I, chose to travel by boat, and visit the other small villages by sea. This way, we are able to sit back and enjoy the breeze from the Ligurian Sea in our face as we marvel at the stunning views. We stay in Monterosso, and at night, stroll the long boardwalk by the sea. Restaurants mostly serve people outside, as no one, it seems can take their eyes off the beautiful coast line. The sweetness of doing nothing, or maybe it is the sweetness of simply being in the Cinque Terre. We are in Italy, and we love it.

July 1, 2011    Assisi

It is hard, but we must leave the Cinque Terre. We are headed inland, to Assisi, located in Umbria, in the heart of Italy. There we will stay at two different Agriturismos. An Agriturismo, or agricultural tourism, began in the 1980s, as a way to “encourage farmers to remain on their land, produce food, and offer accommodations to tourists.” The two Agriturismos we will visit are the Alla Madonna del Piatto and Malvarina. The Alla Madonna is run by Letizia and her husband Ruurd. Here some of the group will cook with Letizia, a world class cook, who is recognized as one of the top cooks in Italy as well as one of the 500 best cooks in the world. They are in for a real treat. The other group will stay at Malvarina, run by a delightful family, where Mamma Maria does the cooking.

Before we get to Assisi, though, we will stop in the delightful hill town of Volterra, where we have reservations for lunch at the Trattoria La Vecchia Lira. Set high on a hill, Volterra is almost 2,000 years old, and at once was an important city. Now, its claim to fame is that it is a location for the filming of some of the Vampire series. But to us, Volterra feels right – not crowded or over run with tourists, it looks noble, almost classy. After a wonderful meal, and a delightful stroll through the streets of the old city, we are back on the bus, on our way to Assisi. We are becoming adjusted to this new pace of life – which includes short rides on a bus, followed by stops for wonderful meals and great strolls along cobblestone streets. It is easy to get used to this – and judging by everyone’s relaxed and joyful demeanor, I think we already have.

July 3, 2011

It is Sunday morning, and we are on the bus once again, on our way to church. To be precise, we are on our way to the English speaking Mass at the Basilica of St. Francis, which starts at 9 AM. (Easy for me to remember, it is the same time our summer worship service begins in Verona, WI.) As we enter the church, we know that we are entering a very holy place. St. Francis was buried beneath the altar of this church in 1226, and the church is according to some, a “theological work of genius.” Some churches feel more like museums, a place for tourist to walk in and out of on their way to another tourist site. But not this church – it is special. It still hosts a worshiping community as well as the current Franciscan Monks, and in October of this year, will also host the Pope, who will be here for a special conference. Assisi is the city of Peace, and no place more peaceful than the Basilica.

As we take our seats and prepare for worship, one of the Franciscan monks asks if anyone would like to participate in the service by reading one of the lessons. I cannot resist – I raise my hand and volunteer to read the second lesson, from the book of Romans. When it comes to my time to read, I am conscious of the many people who have been here before me – each one proclaiming the same message – that God is a God of love and gives us peace. I stand and read right next to the altar, which is located directly above the place where St. Francis is buried. It is a wonderful moment.   As we leave the church, a dove flies right over our heads and perches on the beautiful wall next to us, as if to announce God’s Peace. The message has been received – The peace of God which far surpasses all of our understanding is with us – and we are in Assisi.

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

July 4th, 2011

On this day of our nation’s independence, we are on our way to Rome. It seems a little odd not to be partaking in the festivities back home, but our sights are set on the Eternal City of Rome. Today, we will tour the Vatican Museum, which houses four miles of art of Western Civilization, and it is packed not only with beautiful art but tremendous crowds of people. This day almost 24,000 people will pass through the museum, marveling at the paintings and frescos and other works of art. The tour ends, of course, with the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo’s stunning paintings which cover the ceiling. We all stand in awe of this great master and his great masterpiece.

Next, we visit the St. Peter’s Basilica, the most impressive church on earth, with Michelangelo’s Pieta and dome. It too, is an awesome sight. Our guide, Leondro, does a wonderful job of escorting us through this place, pointing out sights to be sure not to miss. With so much to see, it would be easy to over look something – and try as we might, it is impossible to take it all in. We are once again, simply in awe of this marvelous church and its many works of art and devotion. Rome is a city with much to see and much to do, and we have only just begun our journey.

July 8th, 2011

It is our last day in Rome, and our last day in Italy. Our trip is coming to an end. While most are anxious to go home, I think it is safe to say that we are a bit conflicted – we are having a wonderful time, and don’t want it to end. We have fallen in love with Italy. And more than that, we have fallen in love with travel.

Rick Steves says that “travel is intensified living – maximum thrills per minute…It is recess, and we need it.” I think he is absolutely right. We all need to take a break from the routine of our lives, to get into a different rhythm, to slow down, to experience different places and different people. It makes us happier and more appreciative of what we have and where we live. Somehow, the little inconveniences of life don’t seem to annoy us so much – we look at life from a much different perspective.

Our trip to Italy has been wonderful. The food, the artwork, the churches, the history. But perhaps what I have enjoyed just as much has been the people from our group, traveling with them, enjoying long , slow meals together, and seeing them relaxed and happy. Travel is recess for adults, and we desperately need it. The trip has been everything I hoped for and more – and I will take it all with me as I return home.
Thanks be to God for our trip and for our traveling companions. Until the next time, buon viaggio!