An Awe-Inspiring Abbey

Yesterday we went on a trip to visit the 9th century Abbey of San Liberatore within the Abruzzo Majella National Park. It was less than an hour away from home. I had been inspired by a post called "Five go to San Liberatore!" by the excellent and informative AboutAbruzzo.com Blog.


Everything was as described in the posting. I was most impressed by the beauty of the ancient abbey. The entrance was imposing and beckoned us in.



Inside, we marvelled at the beautifully intricate mosaics on the floor. We looked at the ancient frescoes on the walls. We were the only ones in the abbey and it was blissfully quiet and spiritual. Lost in thought, I was transported back in time, centuries ago.


A Stunning Walk

We slowly made our way out of the abbey and then went on an amazing walk around the building, through dense forestation and stunning natural scenery. It was hair-raising in parts due to the recent heavy rain making the walkway rather slippery. We passed through lush vegetation, wooden bridges crossing cascades of water. I felt as if I was back in the Venezuelan Amazon Jungle!

We observed the ebb and flow of the water right in front of us. Sometimes slow, sometimes frenetic. Just like the flow of life.


During our walk, we came across this sign in Latin. Can anyone enlighten me as to the meaning?

We saw some very interesting sort of fungi on this tree.

After our delightful walk we followed the recommendation from the "Five go to San Liberatore!" blog post and walked the short distance up to Le Chateau de la Mer. Unfortunately, it was closed. It is situated in a stunning location high up with a view over the abbey. Not to worry, we will definitely be going back one day to sample its delights!

An Abruzzese Luncheon


We made our way towards home and we saw a sign for "La Cascina Restaurant", which offered "typical Abruzzese" homemade food. We couldn't resist and so we stopped and had a late lunch. It was a very good choice! We had a fantastic meal consisting of spaghetti carbonara, delicious mixed grill with salad and homemade chips, and then last but not least, a wonderful Tiramisu. The price was reasonable, the portions were huge.

Absolutely replete and happy, we made our way home, marvelling at the lovely day we had had. We spotted this unusual tree below and K took this interesting photo.

All the photos above were taken by K. Unfortunately, I mislaid my camera in England. I miss not being able to take my own photos!