Today, I thought I was going to kill my family. Not on purpose of course, but just through the sheer process of making them hike up mountain to the Chiesa of Santa Margarita in Cortona. The walk started out in a pleasant fashion as we sauntered through the quiet streets and piazzas of Cortona. Then, as my cyclists friends have experienced, we took a right turn and faced “the wall.” But, this wall was of steps; hundreds and hundreds of them. At first they were made of flagstone, but soon they turned to cobbles, and finally to just gravel held up by rows of small stones. I kept calling back to my family, “we’re almost there”, but soon they lost hope and were praying for a miracle. Like thousands before us, just as we were about to give up, we rounded one more turn and there it stood. Prayers answered, we entered the Chiesa, saw Santa Margarita herself, and headed back down the mountain. A glass of wine and a few moments of rest and all was forgiven (I hope).

Our day began with a car and driver to take us first to Assisi and then Cortona. The Fiat I thought I reserved turned out to be a Mercedes Benz van and the driver was, well, a typical Italian motorist. Staying on the correct side of the road is only a suggestion. Going 130K/hour on the freeway, he would slam on the breaks when a slower car happened to be in the high speed lane. And you should have seen the pedestrians run as he accelerated toward them.

Quote for the day: I’m your driver. I’m here for you and anything you want to do all day – except for that (drive us to the top of Cortona to the Chiesa of Santa Margarita….which is why we had to walk.)