Visit to Monserrat

Collected at the hotel today by breathless guide who was running a few moments late. When he found out we’re were Kiwis he said Kai Ora! He knew NZ very well as he had been a guide. He knew NZ very well! Off we drove in a van an hours trip to Monserrat! It’s an amazing geographic area. Strange rock formations due to geological forces. We took the 1918 rope funicular up the very steep mountain, then we hiked a small distance further up, before the long decent down. The guide Matai advised us to walk on our heels going down to save our knees. It seemed to work. I might need to try this out a few more times.
The Monastery is built around legend of the statue of a Madonna & Child circa 880 a.d. monastery also houses a music school previously for the kids of nobility, now based on talent !
The guide was excellent, so we learnt lots about the area and Spain in general. The area was extremely dry, after 30 months of drought.
After our hike we went through the church to see the statue, then checked out the gift shop, (of course). Lunch then we looked at some stalls selling local products, e.g. cheese, honey, nougat, quince paste, candied nuts etc.
the 5.30 hours went very quickly!Read more