Ditto morning routine: get up, shower, have breakfast, get ready, meet guide, get in limovan, and have an adventure. I'm beginning to look forward to being at home and …
- Wearing different clothes
- Staring out my windows at nothing but trees
- Being in my own space
- Typing on a real keyboard
- Eating my own cooking
I need a vacation from vacationing. That said, I'm still up for meeting Matteo, our guide for today, who is a tall, middle-aged, enthusiastic gentleman ready to share lots of information. We are headed to the Montserrat Monestary. The Montserrat mountains (serrated mountains) earn their name from the unusual features of uplifted and eroded conglomerates. The weather is not bad but clouds and fog hang around the peaks and I didn't get the best of shots.
The monestary was founded a thousand years ago and enshrines the statue of the Virgin of Montserrate. The statue is called a black virgin and the theory is the wood she is carved from was exposed to candle smoke for so many years, it turned black from absorbing soot. The monestary is also home to the Montserrat boys' choir, made up of altar boys, and is one of the oldest boys' choir in Europe. The associated music school requires proficiency in piano and at least one other instrument for entry. Two hotels and a hostel provide accommodations for pilgrimage visitors.
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| Community of the Monserrat Monestary |
Inside the basilica, there is a constant stream of people slowly making way through art filled passages and stairway to see the Virgin and press a hand onto the globe of the earth she holds. We were part of that procession. Signs requested silence because part of the route went past the nave and altar as mass was being said to what looked to be several hundred young students.
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| The Black Virgin |
Music was definately a common theme in many the art forms. The ceilings were covered in frescos of musicians, and bas reliefs depicted a variety of instruments. I particularly liked the concertina playing woman.
The monestary is also home to a wonderful museum of art, much of which has been gifted by patrons. Caravaggio, Monet, Miró, Dalí, and Picasso are just a few artists represented. One gallery theme was paintings of women. These are two of my favorites.
I could have easily spent hours more in this museum, but Matteo had arranged a lunch so we had to leave. Too much fun! We took a cable car ride down the mountain (stunning views) and connected back up with our driver.
Off to the "El Celler De La Guardia", a winery turned into a farmhouse restaurant. We were served family style with plates of shared food including lamb chops, pork belly, and sausages. And the wine just kept coming! Apologies, no food pictures, we ate it all.
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