Sacra di San Michele (the Abbey of St. Michael) is built atop a rocky crag, VERY high above the valley floor, not far west of Turin. Most of the traffic on the narrow road ascending the mountain along with us consisted of bicyclists, but it seemed to us that there must be better ways to spend a Saturday morning than the one they'd chosen! After parking the car, we had a 15-minute (upward) stroll to the Abbey, which is where the real work began -- climbing the ~ 250 steep steps (known as the Stairway of Death!) to the church. We did learn that the name derives from the monks' tombs that once lined the climb, but you could have fooled us! As each landing rounded a bend and revealed yet another flight of steps, I heard Tom praying aloud -- at least, I think it was a prayer, as it began with "HOLY ...!!!!"
The Abbey is one of several, all dedicated to the archangel, which lay on a straight-line pilgrimage route from Jerusalem, thorough Greece, Puglia in southern Italy, Normandy France, Cornwall, England, and on to Skellig, Ireland. Records for this abbey date from the end of the 10th century, though the present church is two centuries more "modern." Ruins of some of the complex's other structures lay on the promontory several levels below the church, and there are wonderful views of the countryside below and the distant Alps from the terrace.
And, the Alps were where we headed this afternoon. The Val D'Aosta is a large glacial valley, running east-west, and intersected by other small ones, each one boasting its own craggy castle and historic churches. Above them all tower the mountains -- some a deep, forested green, others perpetually snow-capped. Monte Bianco (Mount Blanc), as its name(s) suggest, straddles Italy and France, and is Europe's highest peak; the Matterhorn (Monte Cervino in Italian and Mont Cervin in French) dominates Italy's border with Switzerland. It would have been easy to think we'd crossed borders as we drove toward Etroubles -- place names and street signs were either French, Italian, or bilingual -- and the architecture had us looking for Heidi along the way. We drove the narrow road above Etroubles for some wonderful views of the contrasting green and white mountains, flowers, and villages; with a gentle breeze and birds chirping, it was so lovely...
As we near the end of this trip, and are feeling pretty ready to be home again, I wonder -- what does the beginning of an endless Arizona summer have to compare to this??? Lots, I know, but still...
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