San Servolo encuentro

Today we took a boat to the San Servolo island where the encuentro took place. The island has a very rich history - first starting from the 11 century it was a site for a secluded monastery, and then in 19 century it became an asylum for mentally ill patients. The asylum existed until 1970s. After it closed, it was an abandoned place with run down buildings for some years. Then about 10 years ago it was restored and renovated to host an international university campus in partnership with Duke university and Tel Aviv university and a hotel. For the weekend, this enchanted (and possibly haunted?) place became a home for 150 tango dancers. The grounds were very serene and beautiful and we visited an interesting asylum museum. We really enjoyed our weekend there - the encuentro was just ok, but the whole experience made it worth it.Read more