Today was our fifth day in Italy as a group. We took a day trip to the nearby town of Assisi. This beautiful, little city is famous for being connected to St. Francis. Our first stop was at Basilica Papale e Sacro Convento di San Francesco, which is a church that holds the remains of St. Francis. This church was by far my favorite that I have seen. It has three different levels, and each has a distinctive style and architecture.  As I am not Catholic, it was interesting to see some of the patrons pray so passionately and with conviction at the saint’s tomb on the bottom level.

After leaving the church, we headed to lunch. On the walk, I could not help but feel that the romance of this beautiful, old city was completely captivating me. For instance, as we walked, there was a man playing a guitar and singing romantic songs. This music really added to the experience.

When we finally arrived at lunch, the atmosphere turned from romantic and almost spiritual to playful and unforgettable in a different way. For example, we ordered octopus on watermelon. Although I was extremely skeptical about how that was going to turn out, it ended up being amazing.

These two experiences today – visiting the Basilica Papale e Sacro Convento di San Francesco and eating lunch at a different style restaurant – perfectly encapsulate this experience so far. There has been beauty everywhere I have looked, and each day holds new adventures that ask me to step out of my comfort zone.