the accident and mustaches

This past weekend I took the students on an orientation overnight to Assisi, Perugia, Siena, and San Gimignano. About half an hour into the trip, we got stopped in a massive traffic jam and found out that a tractor trailor carrying refrigerated meat had overturned about 10 cars ahead of us. Seriously. There was meat everywhere. The truck blocked our entire side of the highway and some lanes traveling in the other direction... Fortunately, no no one was hurt. Unfortunately, it took about 4 hours to clean up.

After about 45 minutes of sitting in the buses behind the accident, the Italian Polizia decided we would be allowed to walk past the wreckage to a rest stop about a half mile down the highway... and by past the wreckage I mean we literally had to climb over and through the wreck of this overturned truck, surrounded by tons of wasted sausages and hams... and walk down the highway to the rest stop. It was surreal, to say the least. If only a bread and cheese truck had overturned too. free sandwiches!

So we spent the time that was meant for Perugia in an Autogrill in Chianti (it's not as bad as it sounds... there was Burger King.)

this is what we walked past/ through... picture stolen from Caroline.. click to make any of the pictures bigger

When we were finally able to get on the bus, we entertained ourselves for the rest of the 2 hour ride to Assisi by doing this

...and this is what I get paid for. Thank you, Fairfield U.

Here are some pictures of the places we've visited the past two weekends...

Pisa's 'Campo dei Miracoli', with the leaning tower

Viareggio Beach

The Church of Saint Francis, in Assisi

Is that... Matt May or... Ferris Bueller??

View of the countryside from Assisi

The church of Santa Maria delle Scale in Siena...

Tuscan countryside...

And the towers of San Gimignano...