Sunday, December 10, 2006

My Time at Poppi

We went to Poppi for 3 days. At Poppi I went to the Guidi Castello (castle), the hotel was across from the castello.

This is the picture of a fresco in the chapel at the castle and I took the picture.


The castle had a little diorama of a big battle. It also had dead knights and one dead horse leg on the floor. And I got a little knight figure that came with a horse. I actually have two. I liked the castle. We were able to listen to a tape to know what we were looking at. When we went into the prison, we saw one of the prisoners and there was a trap door. I am not sure why but he didn't move a smidgen.

This is me about to enter the prison door. I had fun there!

Do you like my new wheels?


I think you would like Poppi!

We met some friends at a piazza in Rufina . With these friends I bought little pop balls. When you throw them on the ground they sound like mini grenades.

One day we went to the SANTUARIO FRANCESCANO (Santuario della Verna). I learned about Saint Francis of Assisi. I learned that he was a monk and Franciscan monks have to give up everything they have. In one of the pictures I saw showed an angel giving stigmata to St. Francis of Assisi. Oh, and also, we saw a rock that looked like it was floating in mid-air. It was humongous. But it really wasn't floating.

St. Francesco had to sleep in a cave. The cave he slept in was not warm. He just slept there with hardly any clothes. It was very wet. It would be hard for him all the time. It would be hard for him to all the time be a monk. I don't want to be a monk.



This is a picture of a monk there. They only have to wear sandals and they aren't even very good.

We ate at the restaurant right on the mountain where the sanctuary was.

They also had a big nativity scene but baby Jesus was missing. I wonder who stole it.



Today we left Poppi and now we are home--home sweet home.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi KZ,

I like your blog. It is fun to read about your time in Italy.

I wanted to comment on the nativity scene you saw. The baby Jesus hasn't been stolen. He just has not arrived. He will not be in the creche until he is born on Christmas Eve. This is a tradition in many Catholic families.

Jane said...

Hi
Thank you for explaining this to me. Next time could you remember to put your name?

Anonymous said...

We just set up our Christmas tree and manger in our home yesterday.

When I bought our manger many years ago, I made sure I bought one where baby Jesus is separate from his crib so I can take him out and hide him until Christmas Day when he is born and then I can put him in his crib between Mary and Joseph.

The challenge is to remember to get him and put him in his crib each Christmas!

Cracker said...

Hi Casey,
Wow, love your wheels! You wouldn't be pulling our leg, would you?

I was glad to have the mystery of the missing baby Jesus solved in the comments to your story. I didn't know that either.

I think Christmas in Italy is going to be lots of fun for you this year. Thank you for sharing the stories about your trip, I would like to go there some day.

Your Friend,
Cracker

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Hi Casey; I'm really enjoying reading about your experiences in Italy. It sounds like you are having a very special year!

Thanks for telling us about Poppi. You are very good at noticing details and sharing them with us. It makes me want to visit there next time I'm in Italy.

Roz and Mike said...

Hi, Casey,

I found out about your blog from your nonna on Slow Trav, and have really been enjoying it. I have two grandsons in Davis, California about your age (one is 8 and the other 6). When we go out to visit them for Christmas, I will show them your blog, since I think they would like to read it. (We live in Boston, which is almost as far from California as it is from Italy.)

I liked your descriptions of Poppi. Since we will be not far from there in March, you have inspired us to want to visit there. Maybe we could even meet you and your grandparents then. We will be in the town of Bucine from March 3 - 10. Do you know where that is?

Keep up the good writing and picture taking!

- Roz

Jane said...

Roz
We would like to meet you in March. E-mail my grandma about it.

Thank you everyone for your comments.

Nancy said...

It sounds like you had a great time in Poppi! The castle looks awesome!

nancyhol

Anonymous said...

HI KZ....Poppi sounds like so much fun, I loved the night picture of the castello, wow. I live here in Italy too. Hopefully my parents dog and i can visit that castle!

your friend Elle

Anonymous said...
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KZ in TOSCANA (or KC in So. Cal.)


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