Montserrat: A Visit to the Jagged Mountain
This morning Raye and I woke up early in anticipation of the trip. Thinking we would be first to breakfast, we found several of our traveling companions already sampling the spread and drinking espresso, obviously eager to ride as well. I remember how much I enjoy European food and focused most of my attention on the French baguettes, fresh sausage, prosciutto and a variety of cheeses. I was completely taken with the self-serve espresso machine and confess I had four cups. Like I needed juicing up.
We headed out from Barcelona about 8:30 a.m. (that’s 1:30 a.m. central time in Arkansas, but who’s counting…). We are on a Ducati ST3, which obviously has a lot of power but unfortunately for me, no top box or back rest. After fighting the traffic of the city, thankfully we veered off the highway and onto the first of many winding mountain roads. This one took us to the famous mountain of Montserrat, home to the Benedictine abbey, Santa Maria de Montserrat, which of course is named for the mountain. Montserrat means “jagged mountain” in Catalan, the language spoken along with Spanish here in the province of Catalonia. Once you see this dramatic setting, you will understand the name. The stark, rounded mountains are very unusual and memorable.
The abbey is serene and as beautiful as its setting. There are a number of walkways and a set of stairs leading up the side of the mountain to the main courtyard. A long, large building serves as a place of residence for the monks. Next to it are several small outlying buildings and then, of course, the cathedral. No pictures are allowed in the sanctuary. While we were visiting, a service was in progress, so we quietly stood in the back and just watched for a few minutes. The marble floors in the courtyard are works of art in their own right, so I quickly photographed them from various angles and in different lights. I took up card-making last year, and these pictures should help inspire several new ideas.
Near the buildings visitors can see a Holy Grotto, which is a spot where local people claim to have seen visions centuries ago. Montserrat is also well known for “the black Madonna,” a statue of the Virgin Mary carved out of dark wood.
Click here to listen to the monastery church bells ringing or the boys’ choir singing. We heard the bells, missed the boys. But it was an incredible destination to experience nonetheless.