Summer Road Trip Through Ireland

Ireland has captured my imagination for so many years that the land, history, myths, music of this island all seem like a faraway dream.   This summer along with my husband Luke, our son Liam and two of my close friends from Europe; I am going to make this dream a reality as we set off on a two-week Irish road trip!

The plan is to see the countryside of Ireland and get a feel for the history and people of this land.  To learn about the mysterious first people of Ireland that were there before the English, the Vikings, the Celts all came to the Island.  Also, I wish to learn about the three Patron Saints of Ireland; Patrick, Columba, and Bridgid who are the Irish Trinity that played such an important role in Ireland's history.

Landing in Dublin, we plan to pick up a minivan and spend the day in Ireland's long-forgotten past. The Boyne Valley is about 40 km North of Dublin and home to Bru Na Boyne; mysterious 5000-year-old tombs that are much older than the pyramids in Egypt!  

Jenni joins us from Norway

Back to the airport briefly to pick up our friend Jenni (flying in from Norway) before we head South of Dublin to the Wicklow Mountains.  We spend the night next to an early Christian monastic site called Glendalough, which is near a peaceful lake.  Glendalough was founded by St. Kevin and is known for its round tower and a graveyard full of some of the most intricate high crosses in Ireland.




Next, we head to the enchanting medieval town of Kilkenny, home to some of Irelands best suds!  Kilkenny will be our springboard for checking out to the plains of Tipperary and the Rock of Cashel; which is a giant castle that was the ancient seat of power for the Kings of Munster.  We spend the night in a cottage set in the prettiest pastoral lands in Ireland, next to the evocative Jeerpoint Abbey.


Then it's onward to the coast!  The salty sea air beckons us to spend time exploring the towns of Kinsale and Cobh on the South coast of County Cork.  We will spend our night near the peaceful Cork Harbour after exploring Cobh on Great Island, and the waterfront town of  Kinsale.  Kinsale's historic harbour is where we hope to stroll if the weather is fair and perhaps take a tour of the star-shaped Charles Fort that dominates the waterfront.    Of course, no trip to County Cork would be complete if we didn't head to Blarney Castle.  I don't know if we are going to give the ol' Blarney stone a snog or not, but we just have to check it out!

Sara joins us from Rome

The city of Cork is where we will pick up the next character in our adventures-Sara from Rome!  We will swoop into the Cork airport and gather her up as we head to our rustic thatch roof cottage that sits on the beautiful Ring of Kerry.  From this little cottage (which will be our home for a week) we will explore Killarney Park,  The Ring of Kerry, Skellig Islands, Dingle Penninsula, Cliffs of Mohr and Galway to name just a few places.  Our days will be full of castles, beaches, standing stones, ancient sites, nature, Irish music and of course beers!

Beautiful Scenery of Ireland

After our week together comes to a close we will drop Sara back off at the Cork airport and head on to Dublin via an essential stop in Kildare.  There is a holy well that is said to be that of the Celtic Goddess Bridgid who later became St. Bridgid that I would like to visit.  The well and the surrounding standing stones are said to have healing powers!  Who couldn't use some of that!?!



We end our trip to Ireland with three days in Dublin where there are a few things I would love to see.  At the top of my list is the Book of Kells in Trinity College and the Irish National Museum.  I think my son would enjoy the lively Temple Bar area and I would love to take a look at Grafton Street and all the shops to look at Irish handicrafts.  Follow along on my adventure and see how the itinerary ACTUALLY worked...

Have you been to Ireland?  Let me know in the comments below what you enjoyed most in Ireland, and what & where NOT to miss on our summer road trip!

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Assisi, Umbria-A Pilgrims Paradise!

Ahhhh-Assisi. Spilling down the mountain from the ruined castle, each little laneway a delight to discover.  The birthplace of Saint Francis and the final resting place for him as well, Assisi attracts tourists and pilgrims alike. There is no shortage of charm in this Umbrian hill town.

Rocca Maggiore

Assisi sits on the slopes of Monte Subasio facing West to capture what I think are the most sublime sunsets in all of Umbria.  The area of Assisi was inhabited by the Umbrian tribes that settled in this region 1000 years BCE before being taken over by the Etruscans around 450 BCE.  Eventually, the Romans moved in after winning a battle with the Etruscans in 295 BCE and built terraces down the slopes of Mount Subasio. The Romans named this settlement Asisium, and it thrived for centuries as part of a trade route to the Adriatic.  There are many Roman ruins to be seen in Assisi such as a theatre, an amphitheatre, a Roman crypt under the church of St. Benedict and the Temple of Minerva which is now a Catholic church.  The top of the town is dominated by a 12th-century castle called Rocca Maggiore, and there are the remains of a smaller yet older castle further up the slopes called Rocca Minore that also dates back to the Roman times.

"Streets" in Assisi

Assisi is built on a VERY steep slope.  We found cheap parking using our GPS at the bottom of the hill and walked (all the way up & UP & UP) to the top of the town to start our sightseeing adventures. By arranging our sightseeing in this way, we didn't have to go back to the top of town to get our car after a long day of walking around.  The town of Assisi was a maze of little medieval alleyways or "viccolos" that were such a joy to explore, decorated with flowers and gardens at every turn.  Luke used his "Maps.Me" app on his iPhone to navigate us through the medieval pathways which were like a maze through the town.  Tip: "Maps.Me" is a FREE offline map resource that uses your phones' GPS system to navigate you. So you can find your way through the confusing streets without using your data!

View Of The Basilica From The Rocca

When we neared the Roman walls of Assisi at the top of the town, Liam really wanted to go to check out the castle; so uphill to the ancient Rocca Maggiore we went. The Rocca was built around 1174 and has gone through many massive reconstructions over the centuries.  There was an excellent display of weapons, period costumes, furniture and armour throughout the castle.  Liam had a blast climbing up the tiny spiral staircases of the fortress, running along the ramparts and peeking out the little narrow windows.  The 360-degree views from the top of the castle looking down on the Umbrian countryside were awe-inspiring.  The entry fee is €5.50 or you could get a combo pass which includes the castle, Roman forum excavations and the art gallery for €8. Check out the tourist information for Rocca Maggiore

Wandering The Pretty Streets Of Assisi

All that climbing around on the castle ramparts had made us hungry, so we found a romantic, casual restaurant (or "trattoria" in Italian) called "La Lanterna" tucked away in a little street off the main drag   In Assisi, you were really spoiled for choice in atmospheric restaurants serving authentic Umbrian cuisine. Absolutely perfect!  Pizza, prosciutto & melon, handmade pasta, wine; it was all delicious!  
After our meal, we happily stumbled further down along the hill to Piazza del Comune which is considered the main square of Assisi.  This is where the Roman forum of Asisium once stood and is still under the streets!  You can go and visit the excavations, see Roman artifacts and walk down an ancient Roman road.  If you bought a combo ticket for the Rocca, Pinacoteca (painting gallery) it is free entrance otherwise it is €4.
 Also on the piazza is a great example of Roman architecture; the church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva.  Santa Maria Sopra Minerva literally translates to Saint Mary over Minerva, because this baroque-style church was built on top of a Roman Temple believed to be devoted to the Goddess Minerva.

Ancient Columns

The Temple was thought to have been devoted to Minerva because a statue of a Roman Goddess was found inside.  Actually, the temple was built in the first century BCE in honour of the Roman God Hercules, but it is still called Sopra Minerva.
Later, the Christians then began to use this beautiful place of worship and dedicated this Pagan Temple into a Christian church.  At one point the church was used in the middle ages as a tribunal and a jail; one of the famous frescoes by Giotto in St. Francis's Basilica shows Santa Maria Sopra Minerva with bars in the windows.      
The energy in this building is incredibly old, and you can feel how special this place is as soon as you cross the threshold.     

Baroque Interior of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva

Bell Tower From 13th C.

I showed Liam where you can still see the gutters carved into the marble floors.  The gutters were used to drain the blood from the altar during the ritual animal sacrifices that occurred here during Roman pagan times.  My poor vegetarian son was horrified!  Explaining art, history and religion to kids can really come alive when you are in these ancient places-it's always a teaching moment when you travel.

Assisi street scene

It's not all ancient churches here, religion is alive and well in Assisi and is one of the most important places of Christian pilgrimage.  We saw some extreme starkly devout Franciscan monk pilgrims that wore nothing but a sackcloth, "walking" (and praying) on their knees to the Basilica.  Also, there are many Franciscan monks walking around town together in their brown robes, hanging out or eating gelato.  This reminded us that Assisi is a living holy place-not just a beautiful Italian hill town with a big church.  Assisi is like an open-air museum for learning about the life of St. Francis and many of the places Francis frequented are still here.  We decided to skip touring the rest of the other churches (and there are so many that are worth seeing) and head straight for St. Francis's Basilica. 

Basilica entrance 

Wow. I mean, WOW! I  just loved this church.  There are 3 layers to the church; the basement is the tomb where St. Francis is actually buried, the early church built above it, and the upper street level is the "fancy church".   The Basilica was hit by an intense earthquake in September 1997, that killed four people and injured many when the ceiling collapsed near the entrance.  The church was closed for nearly two years while repair work was carried out.  In 2000 the Basilica of Saint Francis became a UNESCO World Heritage site to help preserve the beauty and precious art within.  TIP: IT'S FREE TO SEE THE CHURCH JUST REMEMBER NO BARE SHOULDERS OR KNEES ALLOWED.

The Basilica was built in 1228 as soon as Saint Francis was canonized, two short years after he died at age 45.  The highlight of the basilica was the frescoes on the upper church walls depicting scenes from St. Francis' life by the master painter Giotto. These outstanding frescos were created for us by Giotto to understand what St. Francis was trying to preach. Many of the concepts St Francis was teaching were really radical for his times, and yet Francis of Assisi was the equivalent of a rock star in his day-check out my blog on St. Francis the Rock Star of the middle ages!  

In the upper level of the basilica, it got quite overcrowded with noisy tourists chatting away and taking photos.  All of a sudden, an ethereal voice would loudly echo through the Basilica in a serene tone "Ssssssh! Silencio...ssssssssh!"  Liam looked up at me with big eyes and asked: "Mom, Is that God talking?"  I had to stifle a giggle because I thought the same thing at first.  "No, it's the monk over there on the church PA system" I explained to him, and I pointed to a stern looking friar at a podium. Liam waited and watched for the monk to come over the PA system again to make sure I wasn't tricking him because he was sure it was God keeping an eye on these rowdy tourists.


One of the most moving places in all of Assisi is the crypt of Saint Francis that is accessible through the lower church.  Saint Francis's friend Brother Elias had hidden Francis's remains after his death so that they would not be scattered as relics all across Europe.  The location of Francis's body became lost over the centuries.   In 1818 Saint Francis's remains were discovered under the floor of the lower church, and this crypt was built to hold the remains of St. Francis and six of his good friends that became his most faithful brothers in spreading the word that "Nature is the mirror of God."  I am not a Catholic, but I do recognize a brilliant man when I see one, and spending time in the crypt of St. Francis and perhaps lighting a candle and making a wish for environmental recovery seemed like a good idea.

Whatever the reason you visit the hilltown of Assisi; religious, art & history, culinary or its charming atmosphere, Assisi has so much to offer and will not disappoint you.  I would recommend you stay the night and discover Assisi's true charm once all the tourists go home.  Take an early morning stroll around Assisi and into the hills to contemplate the same beautiful countryside that Saint Francis did 1200 years ago.

Enjoy the SILENCIO...

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Sant' Antimo Monastery; For A Taste Of Gregorian Chant

Located just 9km away from the Tuscan hill town of Montalcino, there is a place where you can travel backwards in time to the middle-ages.    A Benedictine Monastery called Sant' Antimo where monks sing mass in Latin, sell lavender wands and postcards to raise money and make some of the best wine and olive oil in the region...

Tuscan Countryside

The countryside around the small Tuscan hill town of Montalcino is dotted with vineyards, olive groves and tall cypress tree-lined roads.  Just like you would imagine what Tuscany would look like in books and movies.   But we were not here for the vineyards or views...we were here for authentic Gregorian chanting!  Abbazia di Sant' Antimo is a small but ancient Abbey on the valley floor of the Val d' Orchia or "valley of Gold" run by Benedictine monks as it had been for over a millennium.

Sant'Antimo

The monastery looked beautiful as you approached it through vineyards full of Brunello grapes.  The abbey was built on the site of an ancient Roman villa, but it was good ol' Charlemagne who put Sant'Antimo on the map.  According to legend Charlemagne was passing through in 781 on his way back to France from Rome along the Via Francigena.  Members of his entourage were struck by the plague, and they stopped here to rest.  During the night, an angel appeared to Charlemagne and told him to pick a certain type of grass, dry it and then make an infusion with it.  He did this and added the potion to some wine, and his soldiers recovered!  The "grass" is now known as Carolina Geranium and grows as a weed all over Europe and North America. Now, I don't know about an angel that gives herbal medicine advice (it was more likely a village wise woman) but whatever the case Charlemagne promised an abbey to be built here and by the year 814 Sant' Antimo was constructed.

Interior All Aglow

Because the Abbey was built along the on the Via Francigena or the pilgrim's route from France to Rome, the abbey became the most wealthy and powerful in Tuscany.  Much of the monastery you see today is from the 12th century, but the apse is still the original building.  The bell tower and bell are dated to 1219!  The power of the abbey declined with the power of Montalcino after Siena lost to the Florentines in the 13th century.  Benedictine monks have been inhabiting Sant'Antimo for 1200 years, and when we visited the abbey, it was occupied by Benedictine Monks from France.  The Gregorian chant was the monk's way of praying, and the mass is sung in Latin several times a day, and open up the abbey for those who wish to attend the service.  The vespers schedule is posted on the Sant'Antimo abbey's website.

    

NOTE: AS OF NOVEMBER 2015 THERE ARE NO LONGER MASS WITH GREGORIAN CHANT

If you are interested in hearing Gregorian Chant, you must head to the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, halfway between Montalcino and Sienna.  For more information and the prayer schedule head to  Abbazia di Monte Oliveto.  

When we arrived at the abbey of Sant' Antimo, there was ample parking directly outside the church, which was great because we were running a bit late for the mass sung in Gregorian chant.  Stepping into the coolness of the Abbey, the smell of the lavender sachets the monks were selling at the front of the Monastery filled the whole church with the sweet aroma of the countryside. The lavender, the candlelight and the hauntingly beautiful singing all came together in an effect that made us feel that we had slipped back through the centuries.  

Our 11-year-old son Liam had never been in a big church before.  When we had sat down in the pews for the mass,  I had noticed he grabbed my hand and held onto it very tightly; which had struck me as very odd.  After the ceremony was over, visitors were free to explore the church and take photos. As Liam and I had approached the life-sized 13th century carved wooden crucifix, he exhaled with a sigh of relief.  He had thought the crucifix was real! He felt had been terrified...all these bald guys in white robes chanting in another language, and a dead guy hanging on a cross at the front of the church.  It had never occurred to me to explain to Liam what would happen during our visit to the Abbey. 

TIP: Parents; you may want to explain the Benedictine mass to kids, so they are prepared for the ceremony.

Wander around inside the interior of the church which is all decked out in alabaster and travertine marble.  Mornings are a glorious time to visit the abbey when the light streams in the windows, giving the church an otherworldly glow.  

 Another thing Liam was not prepared for was the crypts in the old churches.  When he followed me downstairs into the tomb of Sant'Antimo.  Saint Anthimus of Rome was a Christian priest from Turkey who came to Rome and was martyred in 303.  Sant'Antimo was already venerated in Rome, and many pilgrims went to his tomb to worship, so Charlemagne decided to move his remains to Tuscany along the pilgrim route to Rome. 

 This was the summary of the conversation with Liam:  " I thought there were dead guys in the church," he said relieved that the crucifix was only a carving.  "Don't worry dear." I answered,  "All the dead guys are down here in the crypt, and they've been dead for over 900 years" is the only reassurance I could provide. "What kind of people go to church with dead guys!?!"  Liam replied wholly horrified and, he ran outta there in a flash!  Again, I never thought to tell Liam ahead of time what to expect in ancient churches in Italy.

Ancient Olive Trees

After exploring the crypt, we headed back into the sunshine for lots of photos and a picnic in the olive groves. We had bread, salami, Pecorino fresco cheese (a soft sheep milk cheese) and Montalcino honey; and of course our wine from Montalcino. But damn it, we forgot the wine bottle opener! NOOOOOOOO!!!!! TIP: keep a wine bottle opener in your purse or car when in Tuscany; because WINE HAPPENS.  A lot.

Brunello Grapes

The Olive groves surrounding the Abbey seemed like the perfect place for a Tuscan picnic with stunning views of the rolling hills.  DON'T GO OUT INTO  the olive groves... around the Abbey are littered with used condoms & Kleenex.  Because the Abbey is brilliantly floodlighted at night, this is a super romantic vista point and is visited by many a Romeo & Juliet.  You may want to stay close to the abbey and the gardens to find an "unspoiled" picnic spot.

We did manage to get that bottle of Montalcino wine open once returning to our farmhouse in Cortona, and it was more than worth the wait.

Salute!

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Montalcino, Tuscany-Castles and WINE!

Montalcino is a sleepy hill town that rises above a sea of green vineyards.  An impressive castle sits on one end of the village reminding you of Montalcino's alignment with Sienna during the Middle Ages.

Rolling Hills of Tuscany

There was an unfamiliar sound ringing in my ears as I lay in bed.  Not the rumble of a garbage truck nor the wailing of a siren;  both familiar to my city-dwelling ears.  No this was the sound of a morning in the Italian countryside, and it took me a minute to process the noise.    Church bells were chiming, Vespas buzzing down the lane and roosters were crowing from the nearby properties.  Ah yes, I remembered now; we were in Tuscany.  

On a pilgrimage of sorts for the most famous wine in the region, we ventured out to the Tuscan hill town of Montalcino which is set in the gently rolling hills of straw-coloured grass called the Val d'Orchia or Valley of Gold.  Green and fertile in the Spring, but by September the Val d"Orchia is a blanket of golden yellow grass.  

The Val d' Orchia

Montalcino is also the birthplace of a famous Tuscan wine; Brunello.  This was our first day trip out in Tuscany, and we brought our Garmin GPS with us from home. The GPS is nicknamed Sangeeta, and bringing Her was the best decision we made. Our Australian neighbours ended up lost and frustrated every day trying to navigate Tuscany by map and road signs (which are very confusing in rural Tuscany); they ended up just hanging out at the farmhouse in Cortona every day because they were tired of getting lost all the time. Luke had programmed Sangeeta from home, so all we had to do is press "GO", and we were set to drive through Tuscany's beautiful Val d'Orchia. 

La Fortezza Of Montalcino

The hill town of Montalcino can be seen from far across the valley floor due to its formidable castle on top of the village-The Fortezza.  This was our first hilltown in Tuscany and our first castle in Italy, and we were all very eager to explore it.  There is cheap parking in front of The Fortezza at Piazzale Fortezza, or there is a free parking lot just below the castle, which is where we parked our rental car.  Liam, as an 11-year-old boy loved climbing the old castle ramparts and explaining Medieval battle techniques to us.

Fun Climbing Up To The Ramparts

The Fortezza or La Rocca as its also called was built after the 1260 battle between Siena and Florence, wherein Siena won.  Switching their alliance from Florence to Sienna, Montalcino has been Sienna's biggest ally ever since and remain tight neighbours even to this day.   The castle is pretty much an empty shell, but it was fun to explore.  The views from the ramparts of the La Rocca show the almost lunar-like landscape with its undulating hills dotted with farms and vineyards.  The best part is that the Fortezza is also an "enoteca" - which is a wine bar where you can sample the local wines before you buy, or just purchase top-end wines by the glass along with light nibbles.  This was a win-win situation for Liam and for us, and YES kids are allowed to be in the wine bar!  It cost €4 to explore the Fortezza, and you just pay at the wine bar to enter.  For more information on the Enoteca la Fortezza click  enotecalafortezza.com.

View Of Montalcino From La Fortezza

Montalcino is famous for its dark red wine called Brunello (The brunette in Italian).  I didn't know very much about Italian wine, but the staff at the Enoteca la Fortezza were extremely knowledgeable and educated me on the history of Brunello.   The correct name for the wine is Brunello di Montalcino, and it is made of 100% Sangiovese Grosso grapes-a.k.a Brunello grapes.  The colour of the grapes at the time of harvest is brown, and that's where its name comes from.  The wine was created in the late 1800s by the Biondi Santi family and there are around 250 small and mostly upscale wineries around Montalcino producing Brunello.  Brunello by law must be aged in oak casks for a minimum of 2 years and then in the bottle for at least 4 months, and a Reserva must be aged for an additional year.  Traditionally, Brunello was aged in the cask for 2 years and in the bottle for another 3 years giving it a smooth, full-bodied taste.  With all the time and attention this wine gets during its vinting process, this wine stands up to the test of time and is meant to cellar for 10 years, but can be aged for 30 years and only get better.  But who can wait that long?!  There were some seriously expensive bottles of vintage Brunell for sale at the Enoteca.

Brunello

Now while I loved Brunello,  I found another wine I liked even better; the Rosso del Montalcino.  Rosso del Montalcino is a younger version of Brunello, still using 100% Sangiovese Grosso grapes but the wine is aged for in Oak for only 6 months and aged in the bottle for 1 year.  I found the Rosso del Montalcino was much more easy-drinking than Brunello and comes with a much cheaper price tag at around half the cost.  Rosso del Montalcino has been called "the poor man's Brunello." but I like to call it "Baby Brunello" and it is lighter, fruitier and much less tannic.   We tried many other types of wine that I had never heard of before, such as the Sant' Antimo Rosso which is a blend named after the 12th-century Abbey of Sant'Antimo that is located a few kilometres south of Montalcino.  This where we were heading to next.

Ancient Door

Our heads were feeling a buzz, and our bags were full of wine, so we wandered through the town along the main drag to the principal piazza called Piazza del Popolo.  There were some pretty shops and restaurants in Montalcino, and most of them sold wine.  Winding our way back downhill to the car, we noticed a group of hunters all wearing camouflage clothes and carrying large hunting rifles. September was hunting season in Tuscany, and I was told by the hunters that they were after the infamous cinghiale or wild boar that live in the oak forests in Tuscany and can literally decimate vineyards overnight.  The hunters told me that cinghiale was a seasonal Tuscan specialty and that I should look for it on the restaurant menus at this time of year, I would not be disappointed.  Ok then, I smiled and agreed.  I was not about to tell a man in head to toe camo gear with a gun that "sono vegetariano" or that "I am a vegetarian"!

We zoomed away from Montalcino, heading to the Benedictine Monastery of Sant'Antimo a short drive away for a picnic and some Gregorian chanting.  Hope to see you there!

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