Vienna...Perugia...and Assisi

We began with a bus trip to Vienna.  Lance and I were going there to catch the night train to Rome.  That meant we only had a few hours to explore the city.  After many hot days in Budapest, Vienna was definitely a refreshing change of pace.  Although I don't think my photos capture the true essence of it...Vienna is truly a beautiful place.  However...it was also crowded with more tourists than we have seen in a long time.  I think we've definitely been spoiled with smaller crowds in Eastern Europe. 

  

After an afternoon of walking around, it was finally time to board the night train.  Below is a picture of our berth...and let me tell you, it was tiny.  In this small space...which you are looking at down below...we have a table to eat at...two bunk beds that fold down...and a private bathroom with a shower.  Yikes!  It's amazing, but with a lot of maneuvering, it all seems to work.  The couch pulls out to become one bed, and the other bed drops down from the wall  The table is removed from the wall, folded up and moved into the hallway.  Above your head there is limited storage for your suitcases.  Our big suitcase didn't fit up there so it took up the one small open space that was left.  Once the table is put back in place or if the beds are down...there is absolutely no room to move.  Our room came with a free breakfast that was served at about 8:00 in the morning.  Night time snacks are available for purchase...but we brought our own.  We enjoyed the entire experience and slept good.  However...I think it would have been nice to have a dining car...or...an observation car to sit in if you didn't want to stay in your room the entire time.  Neither was available.          

When we arrived in Rome early the next day...it was HOT and CROWDED with tourists.  Our plan was to check our luggage...and walk around for a few hours before we had to catch our train to Perugia.  We didn't want to arrive there too early, because we couldn't check in with our hosts until later in the afternoon.  Well..that plan didn't work out the way we hoped.  The line for checking in luggage stretched all the way down the hallway of the train station and didn't seem to be moving very quickly.  By the time we would make it to the counter...we would have such a short amount of time to see anything that it just didn't seem worth the cost, time and effort.  Luckily, we had visited there in spring...and would have another opportunity in August before we headed to London.  So...we stayed at the train station and whiled away the hours. 

Lance and I arrived in Perugia in the early afternoon.  It is one of Italy's hilltop towns located in the district of Umbria.  I'd like to tell you that it's a pretty city with beautiful buildings, but in my opinion that would not be true.  Instead, the buildings are very old and a bit rugged looking.  But what it lacks in architectural beauty...is more than made up for with the vistas that surround this town.  We really love being here. 

Below is a view of our street where we are currently living...

And these two pictures are the view from our bedroom window.  One was taken in the morning and the other during the twilight hour.  I never grow tired of this view.  At night you can see the stars and a planet shining brightly above us.  We've stayed in more than 50 AirBnB's around the world...and this one has one of the best views.    

These photos were taken in the historic center of the city located on the very top of the hill.  Happily, it's within easy walking distance from our apartment.  Luckily, we don't need to climb to the top.  The city has provided escalators and elevators to help get you there.    

Pasticceria Sandri...a cafe that has been serving coffee and cake since 1860.
Check out the beautiful painted ceiling.

The main reason we chose to go to Perugia was to attend the Umbria Jazz Festival.  As jazz fans, we have been to quite a few festivals in the past...but I believe this one is one of the best.  This celebration has been taking place for over 40 years...so they really know how to organize a great event.  They attract top named talent...have great venues...make sure most acts run on time...offer good food...and a friendly atmosphere.  Plus, the tickets are not outrageously priced.  Given the opportunity, we would definitely return again some time in the future. 

Anyone who knows me, knows how much I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Dianne Reeves.  I have seen her many times in the past and am never disappointed.  For a mere $25.00 we had front row seats to see her in this beautiful venue pictured below.    

Dianne Reeves...Photo copied from Umbria Jazz Facebook site.

 The National Theater

On the main stage we saw two concerts...Diane Krall and George Benson.  Diane Krall was exactly as I expected...not very chatty, but a good solid singer with a great back up band.  On the other hand, George is old...and doesn't sound half as good as he did on his albums that were produced in the late 70's and early 80's.  He seemed to have trouble hitting the high notes and sometimes forgot the lyrics.  But, he worked hard at giving his audience a good show...and the crowd seemed to really enjoy him.  It's amazing how forgiving people can be with their favorite performers from the past.  They were there to party and he did not disappoint them.  His band and back up singers were terrific at helping him along...which made it a much better show than it might have been.      

Diana Krall...Photo copied from Umbria Jazz Facebook site.

This was the stage where the main headline acts performed.  

Each night featured an internationally known performer or band.    

We saw both Diana Krall and George Benson here. 

Of course there many other stages, big and small, that offered free music.  There were jazz concerts offered in the museum, and, a jazz lunch at a historic restaurant that we attended on the last day of the festival.  Lesser known talent came from all over Europe, and, from several universities in the United States.  

Above is a photo of a venue that offered a jam session every night after midnight.  Both international and local artists would gather here and play into the wee hours of the morning.  We wandered over there one night on our way home from a concert.  (This photo was taken during the day.) 

Half the fun of attending a jazz festival is to check out the new talent.  We saw a young lady, Veronica Swift, who has been performing since age nine.  Her parents were jazz musicians in the States, so she grew up in the business.  Now she is in her 20's and performs all over the world.  We'll be watching for her in the future.    

Of course our time here is not all about the Jazz Festival.  This past week we were able to hop a train and take a short ride to the city of Assisi.  What a pleasant surprise.  This city was beautiful...but also very popular with tourists.  We decided to go later in the afternoon, when most of the tourists have left for the day.  We also wanted to enjoy an evening tour of the town when the temperatures are cooler.  

Below is the Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi...which is considered by some to be one of the most beautiful churches in Europe.  Photos of the inside of the church are not allowed, but the entire the building inside is covered in beautiful frescos, and it is truly a sight to behold.  

The photo below was copied from Joe Adams Pinterest Account.  It's just one of several rooms in this magnificent church.    

Here are a few more pictures of the lovely hilltop town of Assisi.

This post is one of two about Italy.  The next post will cover our upcoming visit to Pisa...the Andrea Bocelli concert in his home town...and the Blues Festival.