Clipper passing by in harbor Montjuic Cemetery

Thursday, 12 May. We were up at 6:30 and had breakfast in our room. We had signed up for an excursion to the monastery at Montserrat and our bus left at 8:30. We crossed Montjuic, a broad shallow hill and site of the old fortress and many other interesting things, but all we saw were the cemetery (1883) and the old Olympic Stadium (1927). The bus continued on for about 30 more miles to the northwest.

One of many rock formations

St. Cecelia Monastery on crest

Abbey: Santa Maria de Montserrat

Our group was led into the basilica through a side door that took us behind the altar. We went single file up a few steps and came to the Abbey's famous Black Madonna. Apparently this one had turned black from the oxidation of lead in the white paint used for her face and hands, as well as those of the Holy Infant she holds. From our position behind the altar, we could see into the apse of the basilica. As we left the altar area,we passed through a door that took us into the apse. From there we could see the Black Madonna and others from our group still filing past her above the altar. 

Front of Basilica

Black Madonna

Inside the Basilica

We had nearly an hour of free time to explore the grounds. Most of the buildings were dormitories. There was a lot of construction going on to add still more dormitories.

Jane on Abbey grounds

Darrell near flower bed

Some of the dormitories

Eventually we found life-sized stations of the cross and the start of a hiking trail that leads to the St. Cecilia Monastery (for women) that we'd passed on our way up the mountain, but we didn't have enough time to follow either of them.  

First Station of the Cross

Jane on trail to St. Cecelia

Shops & dormitories

The crest

St. Cecelia from above

The bus left about 11:15, but instead of going back down the mountain the way we'd come up, we went up over the crest. This took us above St. Cecelia Monastery. Then we went down the other side to an autovia that got us back to Barcelona more quickly.