The Ultimate "Room with a View" in Assisi

The nun showed me to my room at the convent guest house and opened my window to this: the Basilica di San Francesco. The 2nd pic is the night view. 

Here's the convent of the Sisters of the Blessed Angeline. My room is the one on the top floor on the right. 

As I arrived in the main square- Piazza del Comune- 24 hours ago (6pm yesterday), I was surprised to find it packed with police and people. I looked toward the street I was supposed to continue and saw it was blocked by some kind of procession. So what could this pilgrim do but sit down at the outdoor cafe/bar on the middle of the square and order a beer and wait to see what happened next?

After a procession of guilds or fraternities with their banners and lots of religious brothers/priests, there came numerous women and men riding horses. The waitress explained to me that this was a yearly ritual and they were going to Santa Chiara church to be blessed, but I later found them getting another blessing at the Basilica. 

Only this morning did I see the banner that said they were on a pilgrimage from Assisi to Loreto. 

So fitting with St. Francis and his love of animals!

After dinner I was back in the Piazza del Comune and saw they were setting up for a band concert. They didn't start until 9:30 and I had to be back at the convent by 10pm. Sorry, Skip, but I didn't catch the name of the group & they didn't announce the 2 pieces I heard - though the conductor was a woman: Paola Scartini. One of the downsides of staying in a convent!!