So the chocolate festival turned out to be more of a giant sea of tents *selling* chocolate more than the Willy Wonka factory spread I had imagined. &nbsp;We poked around at the chocolate merchandise, including the cocoa-dyed underwear sets; we tasted a €4 plate of fondant &amp; chocolate ravioli; we watched as vendors made chocolate kebabs; we sipped chocolate-mint hot chocolate; and finally found some solace in a good Nutella &amp; chopped hazelnut crêpe. &nbsp;I was disappointed at the lack of real food that incorporated chocolate. &nbsp;I thought the ravioli were pasta with chocolate inside, but they turned out to be all sugar. &nbsp;Mostly we were unimpressed.

[caption id="attachment_303" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Ginger choc, coconut choc, banana choc, hot pepper choc...?"]<img class="size-full wp-image-303" title="Perugia types of choc" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/dscn9173.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" />[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_304" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Chocolate merch; Trulli houses!"]<img class="size-full wp-image-304" title="Perugia choc trulli" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/dscn9176.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" />[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_305" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Fondant ravioli w/ caramel sauce"]<img class="size-full wp-image-305" title="Perugia ravioli" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/dscn9177.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" />[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_306" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Choc is shaved off the mock meat tower to make &quot;kebabs&quot; of soft dough &amp; choc sauce..."]<img class="size-full wp-image-306" title="Perugia choc kebab" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/dscn9179.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="640" />[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_307" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Finally!  A chocolate delight worth having...a crêpe!"]<img class="size-full wp-image-307" title="Perugia crepe" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/dscn9185.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="640" />[/caption]

From what we could tell of Perugia, there was not much in the way of things to do and see. &nbsp;We saw the fountain in the main square and we saw the Duomo. &nbsp;Stephen &amp; I particularly liked the <strong><a href="http://www.perugiacittamuseo.it/museo.php?idpag=111&amp;idmuseo=3&amp;lng=en" target="_blank">Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria</a></strong>, which housed many Byzantine crosses inside the original 13th c. palace walls. &nbsp;We upgraded our tickets so that we could check out the Chagall/dream exhibit too. &nbsp;The Chagall portion was small (but good) and Jennifer liked the Man Ray pieces. &nbsp;Also included were Warhol (watching David Beckham sleep was lame, Warhol), Dali, &amp; films by Fellini.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-309" title="Perugia Chagall poster" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/dscn9197.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="640" />
<p style="text-align:center;"><img class="aligncenter" title="Perugia griffin" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/dscn9192.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" /></p>
<p style="text-align:left;">We finished at the museum and did that "look at the time and wince" move that translates into "we better find somewhere to eat before all the restaurants close for Riposo. &nbsp;There was a café that looked appetizing (&amp; open) from the windows inside the museum, but Stephen felt we could do better and eat at a location recommended by his travel book. &nbsp;We walked around looking for this pizza joint called <strong><a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187907-d1508818-Reviews-Pizzeria_Mediterranea-Perugia_Umbria.html" target="_blank">Pizzeria Mediterranea</a></strong> and finally found it with lights out and doors locked. &nbsp;Uh-oh. &nbsp;At this point, we dropped the search for quality food and began the search for open restaurants still serving. &nbsp;We returned to the café we had seen from inside the museum and had a "nothing special" lunch. &nbsp;Afterwards, we toured around the fountain and the church.</p>
[caption id="attachment_310" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Outside the gallery"]<img class="size-full wp-image-310" title="Perugia gallery us" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/dscn9205.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="640" />[/caption]
The tricky thing about being pregnant in Europe is the bathroom situation. &nbsp;Unlike in The States, you cannot just walk into an eatery or coffee shop and use their bathroom without notice. &nbsp;You need to make a purchase there or other times just hand over money to use their facilities (often you would need to do both of these things). &nbsp;And let us just say that the standard of cleanliness is not regulated here (I long for a Sanitation Dept. to phone sometimes), so your €1 never buys you a seat cover, sometimes does not cover TP, often does not include soap to wash, and rarely a paper towel to wipe your hands. &nbsp;Carrying hand sanitiser is a necessity. &nbsp;We stopped into a pub when I felt like I would burst &amp; I could not believe the conditions of their restroom. &nbsp;Not to mention that the first one didn't have paper at all. &nbsp;The second had paper, but I was anxious to get the heck out of there afterwards. &nbsp;No soap, no towels. &nbsp;I approached the bar where Stephen was having his "may we please use your toilet?" drink with quite the look on my face. &nbsp;I was half-disgusted by the bathroom and half-confused b/ the rest of the establishment seemed clean and normal. &nbsp;It was a restaurant/bar/wood-fire pizza place in the original brickwork of historical Perugia, but with glass shelves full of booze, TVs turned on to Italian programs gossiping about American celebrities, and a stuffed Komodo dragon perched in front of one window (a skull hanging from another). &nbsp;We were hoping to stay in from the cold wind a bit longer and wait out the pizza place we still wanted to try out (it reopened service @ 1930 for dinner), so we broke out a deck of cards...and were quickly kicked out by the manager. &nbsp;He claimed the establishment was a restaurant and not a bar, which was funny seeing as all the signs outside clearly stated "bar."

I suggested that we go wait in front of the pizza place, as the travel guide said it was a popular restaurant that often took a queue. &nbsp;Boy, were we glad that we did! &nbsp;Thirty minutes before their re-open time and we were two of about forty waiting for the doors. &nbsp;Stephen asked the group of women in front of us if the pizza was worth the wait and there were instantly TWO groups of women assuring us of the quality. &nbsp;I wish I would have taken a photo of the "queue" outside, b/c Italians really do NOT believe in making a straight line. &nbsp;After waiting twenty minutes, two women came and stood next to us and slightly in front of us with no regard that they might be cheating someone else of their due turn. &nbsp;That's just how it is here.
[caption id="attachment_311" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="The &quot;line&quot; for a table AFTER we left..."]<img class="size-full wp-image-311" title="Perugia pizza queue" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/dscn9242.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" />[/caption]

Was the meal worth the wait? &nbsp;ABSOLUTELY. &nbsp;It's just a tiny, two-room place with a wood fire pizza oven (think of a stone fire pit) and about 12 tables. &nbsp;If the tables are full, you take a number and wait at the door or outside. &nbsp;Stephen thinks it is THE best pizza in Italy and has been liberally bragging as much. &nbsp;I still prefer Antica Da Michele in downtown Napoli. &nbsp;Mediterranea did sport excellent crust, generous amounts of toppings, and they let you add the always delicious "mozzarella di bufala" for €1.60 extra. &nbsp;Stephen ordered the Pizza EMERGENCY (freshly sliced tomatoes, mozzarella, pecorino cheese from sheep's milk, ricotta cheese from sheep's milk, &amp; eggplant). &nbsp;I went with a pizza with artichoke, eggplant, cooked yellow bell peppers, mushrooms, fresh basil and tomato wedges. &nbsp;(We both added mozzarella di bufala.) &nbsp;We also considered ordering a pizza to go, but just couldn't fit any more in our tummies. &nbsp;It should be said that the pizzeria *only* serves pizza and a few desserts...they know their pizza and we will certainly return for another round. &nbsp;Go, Team! &nbsp;The pizza definitely redeemed Perugia and its weak festival hype.

[caption id="attachment_312" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Stephen...ready to mangia."]<img class="size-full wp-image-312" title="Perugia pizza SA ready" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/dscn9233.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="640" />[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_313" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Stephen already has his hooks into my pizza..."]<img class="size-full wp-image-313" title="Perugia pizza show" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/dscn9236.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="640" />[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_314" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="A very happy Stephen eating his &quot;Pizza EMERGENCY&quot; (yes, it was really called that)"]<img class="size-full wp-image-314" title="Perugia pizza SA" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/dscn9238.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" />[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_315" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Pizza crust smile"]<img class="size-full wp-image-315" title="Perugia pizza smile" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/dscn9240.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" />[/caption]

Sunday morning, we checked out of our hotel and headed to Assisi. &nbsp;We already know that we will be back to Assisi to show friends or family around, so it ended up okay that we did not see much of anything. &nbsp;Parking was a nightmare and we ended up on the far side of the town. &nbsp;But we found good eats, tasty gelato, and managed to tour a few churches before heading home.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-317" title="Assisi church" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/dscn9314.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="640" />
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-318" title="Assisi fountain" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/dscn9326.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" />
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-320" title="Assisi St Francis" src="http://teamoswald.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/dscn9341.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" />

Another weekend has come to a close and another adventure in the book. &nbsp;Next up? &nbsp;Egypt? &nbsp;London?? &nbsp;We'll let you know. &nbsp;Stay tuned.