School Field Trip (5/24/1979)

Thursday, May 24, 1979
Today I went with Elena on a school field trip. Signore B drove us into Cafasse where we loaded onto five "Pullmans" or motor coach buses. We took the Autostrada and I saw beautiful flat farmland, with what I guess are poppies in the fields; bright red flowers. We finally drove past Pavia with its unique bridge and to Certosa di Pavia/Cloistered Monastery of Pavia. We apparently arrived at a bad time, so continued on to the reserved restaurant in a tiny town of Casatico. Spent several hours there eating the generous contents of our leather lunch bags. Then returned to Certosa to be taken on a tour by one of the friars. It was the first monastery I have been into, and also the first that I have seen on flat land.

Elena (looking back) by the church portal

Church at Certosa di Pavia

Small cloister

Afterwards we loaded onto the buses to go past Piacenza via the Autostrada to Grazzano Visconti, an old, old town maintained as original, but with people still living and working there. (I later learned the town was rebuilt to look medieval.) Exceptionally beautiful!

Finally there was the three and a half hour drive home to arrive at 22:00!

I am using the postcards that my grandmother sends me as the focal point of English lessons with the kids. The English lessons turn out to be Italian lessons for me as we translate everything in both languages!