@brittarnhild
During every retreat at Santa Maria we have one day where we leave the place to visit some special sights or places nearby. This time we wanted to go to Firenze, and left Santa Maria just after an early breakfast to take to bus to this amazing city of arts.
Our main goal was Museo Nazionale di San Marco and the most extensive collection of Fra Angelico´s work. The museum is still a monastery, as it has always been, and the paintings and murals were painted "on the spot" hundreds of years ago.
Annunciation was what we all wanted to see of course,
and knitters as we are, we couldn't help noticing the angels wings. What about making this pattern into a knitted shawl :-)
While I stood looking at the painting I overheard the conversation between two other viewers:
"Not only protecting her womb, but also protecting herself from what is required of her"
The duomo was next on our list. Unfortunately it was closed for tourists that day, but you can always come inside for prayers. Which some of us did.
After lunch we had a few hours to do what we wanted. I left the group to "run" over to the railway station to get my train tickets to Venezia/Venice.
On my way back to the others, I passed a tiny little antique shop, which I could not resist. There I found a basket full of vintage santons, quite cheap. I bought The Magi, the three wise men, and they are now part of my always growing nativity collection.
I also found time to sit down with a huge ice cream. After all, Firenze is the Mecca of gelatos.
