I am at the end of a long and exhausting day. Our tour guides took us to Assisi and Perugia today. We saw the main city sights and had the opportunity to visit the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angelina and the Basilica of St. Francis. You are not allowed to take photos inside these structures. Although I was not raised in Catholic Church, these monuments to the saints and to God do not just represent superb artistry or craftsmanship. They represent a commitment to hope and faith. The frescos of St. Francis – worshiping with animals, symbolizes the equality of all living things before God.
We also had the opportunity to talk to Italians about their country’s economic future. Approximately 58,000 government workers are slated to be laid off. An astonishing 47% of Italian youth are without jobs. We bought some delicious gelato from a young man in Perugia. He is studying to be an electrical engineer. We chatted about using innovations with social media and apps to improve health care outcomes. My girlfriend, Diva Goddess gave him some leads on companies he may be able to partner with. His parting words to us – “This may be my ticket out of Italy.”
In a world that seems to reward non-obedience and consumption, It was refreshing to meet such an earnest and talented young man. I wish him the best.
Below, a few photos from our journey today.
Love these postings…please keep them coming. I’m enjoying the visualization…the cobblestones, vineyards, smiles, wine etc!
Nicole – we are taking a ton of photos. I’m using the ipad2 to blog but with flash (womp, womp) it is difficult to post lots of pictures in user friendly fashion. But I will do some posts upon my return that give more details of our trip. You must place Tuscany on your “bucket” list! Thanks for your comments.