Finally made it up to the Abbey, it was a windy road to the top but well worth it.
When you arrive the Sacre police check to make sure that you are not showing too much leg or shoulder, cleavage etc so as not to distract the monks. Lots of people covered up and then when they got inside just took it off again. one woman was wearing a flouro visiblilty vest I assume it was all they had in the car.
It is a beautiful building with some of the original stonework reused into the rebuild.
We went into the basilica and they were having a sung service, it was wonderful one would sing and the others would all sing a reply it filled the huge space with sound. P managed to record some on his camera. The decoration and gold in the bascilica made it very
ornate although they have not completed all the ceiling murals ( no one keen to lie on their back for years painting them I guess) we went through the museum which had lots of illuminated manuscripts and Bishops' mitres all decorated in precious stones. There were lots of old master type paintings 
that the Germans had stored for safe keeping and then returned.
After the museum we watched a movie of the bombing-destruction of the Abbey ( made one feel a little uncomfortable to be a Kiwi) .The Italians then rebuilt it all as it was, refusing any foreign money to help.
We managed to see all the public bits which would only be a 1/5 if that, as it is a working monastry .
We then headed back down the hill with P walking all the way down through the scrub and over large rocks, glutton for punishment this man.
I waited at a layby and was enjoying the view when a cyclist stopped and puffed and panted for 10 minutes ( they cycle up the hill to the Abbey must be mad) then he started to talk to me and talked continually for 10 minutes when I finally got to expain that I did not understand anyof it
So he laughed gave me an aniseed sweet and headed on the hill.
P was another 3 hours heading down and was covered in bramble scratches when he arrived,
Last night we went to the roman theatro again, the outdoor ampitheatre this time for Madame Butterfly, did not undrstand any of it but the combination of a full orchestra and the opera singing all outdoors made for a lovely night out.
Finally got to talk to my daughter today, first contact since we got to Italy,
I think I had at least three goes at connecting.
I can only get vodaphone text messages , and once I get it the same one (the last received ) repeats every hour or so until the next one comes in and replaces it then it repeats. Telecom just dont get in at all.
The internet cafe is full of Kiwis the first ones we have met over here.Must ask where they are from.
When you arrive the Sacre police check to make sure that you are not showing too much leg or shoulder, cleavage etc so as not to distract the monks. Lots of people covered up and then when they got inside just took it off again. one woman was wearing a flouro visiblilty vest I assume it was all they had in the car.
It is a beautiful building with some of the original stonework reused into the rebuild.
We went into the basilica and they were having a sung service, it was wonderful one would sing and the others would all sing a reply it filled the huge space with sound. P managed to record some on his camera. The decoration and gold in the bascilica made it very
ornate although they have not completed all the ceiling murals ( no one keen to lie on their back for years painting them I guess) we went through the museum which had lots of illuminated manuscripts and Bishops' mitres all decorated in precious stones. There were lots of old master type paintings 
that the Germans had stored for safe keeping and then returned.After the museum we watched a movie of the bombing-destruction of the Abbey ( made one feel a little uncomfortable to be a Kiwi) .The Italians then rebuilt it all as it was, refusing any foreign money to help.
We managed to see all the public bits which would only be a 1/5 if that, as it is a working monastry .
We then headed back down the hill with P walking all the way down through the scrub and over large rocks, glutton for punishment this man.I waited at a layby and was enjoying the view when a cyclist stopped and puffed and panted for 10 minutes ( they cycle up the hill to the Abbey must be mad) then he started to talk to me and talked continually for 10 minutes when I finally got to expain that I did not understand anyof it
So he laughed gave me an aniseed sweet and headed on the hill.
P was another 3 hours heading down and was covered in bramble scratches when he arrived,
Last night we went to the roman theatro again, the outdoor ampitheatre this time for Madame Butterfly, did not undrstand any of it but the combination of a full orchestra and the opera singing all outdoors made for a lovely night out.Finally got to talk to my daughter today, first contact since we got to Italy,
I think I had at least three goes at connecting.
I can only get vodaphone text messages , and once I get it the same one (the last received ) repeats every hour or so until the next one comes in and replaces it then it repeats. Telecom just dont get in at all.
The internet cafe is full of Kiwis the first ones we have met over here.Must ask where they are from.
No comments:
Post a Comment