Friday, April 25, 2014

Cars and Catholics

Automobiles were to have been the "theme" for this vacation to Italy with our bachelor son. On his first full day with us last Saturday the two J's visited three car museums while I ventured into a new book about Quakers, needlework, and slavery. My book was good, as well as the museums.

Then the Easter holiday week set in, and car museums shut their doors. 

Not being Catholics, we thought last week was the Holy Week (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday). We of course knew that Monday was Easter Monday, but never dreamed that Holy Week would be this passed week (too). So instead of accommodating all of the tourists (including thousands of Italians) who might just finally have time to visit a car museum, the rest of the automobile museums we wanted to visit were closed. 

So we had a change of plans! Instead of our son's beloved Cars and Coffee, we had Cars and Catholic Churches.

Lots of climbing, but we made it to the church in Assisi to learn more about San Franciscus.

Another day we continued with more climbing to Orvieto's magnificent church.

Love the grey and white striped walls of the Orvieto church.

The Duomo in Milan. Our companion who did not want to go into any churches got a few good shots of those churches. 

Then a walk to the Mercedes Store and sanitary stop at Mcdonald's in the Milan arcade.

Last evening we spent our allotted 15 minutes viewing Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper in Milan. That is all the time you are allowed in the facility. We each rented an audio machine and got a great 15 minute explanation.

Since I did not enter the auto museums, I took this shot of the oldest tractor I could find at one of the Maserati  museums. A 1918 Fordson!

Hope I look as good when I am 96 years old!

Oh, and for today (on last full day of our Italian vacation), we found a huge classic car exhibition near Milan! More about that later. 


4 comments:

Buttons Thoughts said...

Oh those photos of the church are magnificent. The tractor ones are pretty cool too:) Hug B

Paulette said...

The churches are absolutely beautiful, such wonderful architecture. How I would love to feast my eye on Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper, if only for fifteen minutes. Why was there a time limit to view the painting? Was the painting more beautiful in person? Enjoy the last day of your trip and have a safe journey home.

Sherry @ Thrift My House said...

Beautiful churches! And that tractor looks like my husbands :-)

Mrs. Micawber said...

Oh my, those churches are beautiful!

I'm sorry you have no car photos ... but the tractors are pretty cool. I hope we ALL look that good if we love to be 96!

Hope you had a great time. :)