Spoleto, Italy - CONVENT!!

We arrived in Spoleto from Florence on Sunday night after they sang for mass at the Del Duomo.  Each place just as charming as the next on this trip.  Spoleto is quaint, hilly and full of little alley ways and steps....little bitty cars whizzing down the hills.  The convent was a source of apprehension for many.....Randolph described his expectations as "stark white sheets with thin, black spread, small bedside table and carafe of water - and a crucifix over the bed."  Makes sense, kind of seems like what a convent would be like.......well - for many it's been our favorite place so far.....nothing like what we anticipated.

BEAUTIFUL monastery placed right at the foothills of Spoleto.  The sleeping arrangements were different than our usual hotel stays in that we were paired up with others to place 5 or 6 per room....so we were paired up with the Dixon family - Beaumont, Savannah and Dictator Dixon (a nickname to be explained later!)  Elizabeth and I are kind of loud and boisterous so we figured that must be why they put us in the dungeon (see picture)....no kidding.....but it was FANTASTIC - Huge space with 6 beds and old barrel-vaulted ceilings.  The courtyard was covered in red geraniums and every once in a while a little nun would surface with a broom or some laundry.  We were to keep the noise level down - literally to a whisper - which was a strong recipe for a SERIOUS CHURCH-LAUGH - especially with the Dixons.  Trying to be quiet when you are in a room with 4 others is about as successful as a teenage spend-the-night party with a direction of "no talking" - the mere instruction of it almost made any one of us crack up under our breath.  Not out of disrespect.....by any means......just human nature.....or mine at least.  I laughed a full month's worth in two days.  

Breakfast was served by Sister Pilar serving a hard roll, butter and jelly, croissant and coffee or tea.  As drab as that sounds.....it was delicious.  I'll post a picture of Sister Chiara who was kind of the one in charge....as she continued to "check us in"....I noticed a little "BLING" on the side of her glasses.....couldn't resist a photo.  You go sista!  Of course, THAT, in and of itself caused some giggle....

We toured the city the next morning and went to see the famous 10-arched aqua duct.  Unfortunately, just prior to our getting up the hill - and I mean like maybe 30 minutes before - someone had decided to take their life off this beautiful structure.  It was very disturbing to be there knowing what was below us....and what an unfortunate decision for that poor person.  Needless to say I was deeply affected for a little while afterwards.  Randolph and I headed back to the convent to get lost in a book for a little while to get our minds distracted - and I watched a storm come over the hills and the bottom dropped out - INCREDIBLE.  In one of the pictures.....if you look carefully, you can see I caught a shot of a nun hiking her skirt and sprinting up the steps through the rain......go sista!

The children sang for mass last night at ?(sorry, can't remember anything at this point...will fill in later) and it was so beautiful.  (The picture of the cathedral is NOT the one they sang in...)  The best concert from them so far...the acoustics were fantastic, unlike the Del Duomo, and I cried through every single song.....couldn't help but to.  I'll try again to post a least one video.....if it doesn't bring tears, it will bring chills.  

Arrived in Rome today around noon by train - will update later......exhausted from the laughter, hiking all over the hilly city and the traveling.  If my bottom half doesn't look like Giselle's when I return....I'm going to be shocked.  I've burned more muscles walking these big cities and hilly towns these past couple of weeks that my caloric intake is surly negative.