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Friday 16 May 2008

MONTSERRAT



on Wednesday i went to the famous benedictine monastery in the mountains, about an hour away from Barcelona. That is, if you don't get off one stop early and arrive another hour later than intended and miss the choir sing. oops.


It was a strange day. I couldn't work out if it was good or not, it just kind of was. I think i went semi-pilgrimaging in hope of a dramatic divine encounter. Unfortunately due to quite unspiritual reasons such as a monton of tourists it was difficult to find any space by yourself, and even if i did i had not dressed prepared to be basically in a cloud rather than that hot spanish sun they talk about and so was too cold to sit still for any length of time.


to try and come to a conclusion about my thoughts on the day i simply listed the things i liked about it:



  • the height - it'so high up with amazing views... that is they would be without all the clouds the way...

  • theawesomeness of the natural surroundings - big fat rocky outcrops jutting out of the land

  • the walkways that you can follow all over these mountainous masses; and that 'health and safety' has not reached these parts so there are no fences and blocked off areas, allowing katrina to wonder off the paths to the very edges as she tends to do

  • the values and acitivities of the monks: BROTHERHOOD, HOSPITALITY, SINGING, SANCTUARY, PRAYER, WORK, COMMUNAL SPACES, NATURE.... (maybe more thoughts on this later)

  • if i'd heard the choir i think i would have liked that too

On the other hand there were quite few things that frustrated me. That you had to pay for EVERYTHING, there weren't even free information leaflets. You even had to pay to light a candle. I don't think this is unusual but it still makes me angry... (As if a euro will make your prayer more likely to be heard) As does the crazy amounts of gold in the monastery. And that it's tourist central. Even though i was one of them! I don't know, it just seems the values of the monks are contradicted by the money making schemes in every part of the monastery. I'd have liked to have met some of the monks, maybe spent a night, found out more about their history and also how they work out their values in the present day.


Despite all that, i think i would return... on a clear sunny day OFF-season (if there is one!). I'd go early in the morning with a few friends and spend most of it walking and climbing and exploring the highest parts. Then i'd listen to the choir at 7pm and afterwards watch the sunset. If i had it my way...

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