Umbria: Contemplating St. Francis in Italy's green heart

A hilly patchwork of yellow and green Umbrian fields unfolded on both sides of the road as I zipped around hairpin turns in my little red Fiat, feeling every bit the race car driver.

Of course, this being Italy, what I thought was death-defying speed wasn't fast enough for drivers coming up behind me.

They barely hesitated, passing me on blind curves on the otherwise nearly deserted road. It was a bit unnerving, but over a week, hopping between Umbria's hill towns, I relaxed my grip on the steering wheel and found that getting there was half the fun.