Montserrat

Late start today - just as well as we slept till nearly seven. We had to meet at ten to catch our coach so we had a late, slow breakfast outside in a little courtyard next to the dining room. Montserrat is about an hour from the hotel. We took the 11.15 train up to the monastery. A guided tour, then free time before meeting for lunch at 1.15.
The monastery was packed with people waiting to hear the choir which sings at 1pm each day. There was also a HUGE queue of people waiting to enter and touch the statue of the black madonna. Picture three shows the location high up in the far wall. Our guide told us that the black madonna dates back to the twelfth century and is black because of centuries of candle smoke.
The monastery still operates(?) as a monastery and the monks run a school. Really, what I saw is a massive commercial enterprise with cafes and gift shops. In the window of one of the shops was a model of the black madonna (photo 5).
Lunch was in a restaurant on Monserrat. It was a set three course menu, a salad entree and a duck main followed by cheese - far too much really.
Because of the big lunch, we just wandered down the street later for a snack and then back to the hotel and pack our cases. Tomorrow we head off by coach at 8.30 for Arles, France.Read more