For the first few days here, it was quite cold and, as such, a tough adjustment for me; when I left India on April 21st, it was in the early days of the hot season. Talk about extremes!
However, most thankfully, spring has FINALLY arrived in the hills here, where Ananda Assisi is located. The weather is sunny and gorgeous, and wildflowers abound!
When not doing my seva (working on the farm planting/weeding, or helping out with prep work in the kitchens, or doing post-meal clean-ups), I take long walks in the countryside. In fact, I really have no choice about this, because the group house I am staying in (with 5 lovely--and young--housemates!) is a fair distance up the road from both places I work at.
Just to give you a clear picture, there are two main parts to the Ananda community here:
1) The Ananda Retreat Center, where the guests come for courses and the like, and
2) Terra de Luce, which is the Ananda farm. Here, there are acres of vegetables being cultivated, including inside of the two greenhouses. Many of the volunteers--such as myself--work here along with the staff, because there is much to do, tending to a large farm like this one. I love it! It is a fun, family-type atmosphere, friendly and casual. Most of the meals are eaten here as well...the food is quite healthy, hearty and wonderful.
I am working on my Italian: my modest knowledge of Spanish both helps and hinders. Many folks understand my smattering of Spanish, but as I try to learn the Italian, the Spanish words tend to impose themselves on my brain, and it can get quite confusing! Still, Italian is a beautiful language, so it is well worth the effort. Thankfully, many people speak enough English so that I am not totally lost! And of course there are American expats living here as well, which is quite helpful.
Yesterday, one such old-timer expat--Mary--was kind enough to take me into Assisi-- though really, more on the outskirts. We did some errands and saw one church...but an important one in the life of Saint Francis (the saint who is the focal point of Assisi--very beloved and much worshipped by the townspeople). The charming town is also VERY popular with tourists, as it is quite ancient and very picturesque (more about it in a future blog, when I am able to return there and spend more time.)
Thus, below you will find two series of photos--the first, of Ananda and the countryside surrounding it, and the second, of the excursion into town. Enjoy!
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This is the Ananda temple, the centerpiece of every Ananda community. The roof is made from precious, hand-made Italian tiles, as is the very unique cupola on the top. The temple is simple but pretty inside... I didn't get a photo of it... the outside is the most striking aspect.
This is the central building of the Ananda Retreat, where the dining hall, boutique, and offices are located.
Another building in the central area, with the iconic Ananda symbol on the main side.
A small, quaint coffee house, located in the central area, popular for getting a good cup of cappuchino, relaxing and visiting with Ananda friends. |
When it was still cold and cloudy last week, this was what the road looked like down to the seva house, where I am living for the month of May, with my 5 housemates! (4 guys in one room; myself and one young Italian woman in the other.)
The view as I walk to and from the seva house to the Ananda Retreat Center, OR to the farm (Terra de Luce).
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| Our living/dining room area: cozy, comfy...warm...once we get the wood stove going! It is, after all, our only source of heat! |
A view of the farm: Terra de Luce. You are looking at one of the two greenhouses.
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As you can see, it is fairly large. In it, various vegetables are being grown, including beets, peas, eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, etc... some of which gets eaten by the Ananda Center staff and guests. The rest gets sold at a Sunday market to the greater Ananda community (living in the area, but not at the Center itself.)
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The young woman, whose name, coincidentally, ALSO happens to be "Ananda", performs joyous antics in the fields! (The word "Ananda" actually means joy, or bliss!)
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| Two jubilant gardeners! SO great to be planting out in the bright sunshine of spring! |
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| Sheetal, another great gardener and fellow sevite... |
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The very simple--but functional-- main building of Terra de Luce. Inside, there is a basic dining hall, meeting space, kitchen, and storage for the various farm tools and so forth.
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One of the delicious, hearty meals produced for us in the Terra de Luce kitchen. Sure makes up for the struggle I had to eat healthfully, all those long months in India! I am already feeling MUCH better!!!
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My lovely housemates/fellow "sevites" team up to make
a wonderful lunch of the Italian specialty, "gnocci"... basically, a potato dumpling. Delicioso! |
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Sheetal, hard at work doing dishes! I often had this job as well... also, drying and putting them away!
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The very sweet young man--Ramon--from Spain... here, sneaking a piece of an amazing, left-over cake from a birthday celebration!
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| Jacqueline, ever-chic, even in her apron, on "dish duty"! loved the short skirt and heels...just SO Italian, si?! |
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A dining hall full of happy folks, enjoying the meal, socializing...making the most of the gathering of good friends! Many of these people were around since the beginning of Ananda Assisi, more than 30 years ago...
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I never tire of photographing the lovely country scenery...incredible vistas abound, up here in the mountains above the charming town of Assisi!
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Joyous wildflowers are springing forth everywhere!
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The Ananda center is surrounded by many other farms as well...
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Reposing outside of the Ananda coffee house, I look up and admire the vibrant green of the trees above me... as well as a very blue sky (most markedly absent in most of the places I visited in India!)
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| Extraordinarily big full moon last night, captured on camera as I hiked home in the dark from Terra de Luce! |
The next series is from yesterday--Friday the 5th. I went on a quick excursion into town with Mary, an American expat who has been living here in Italy for the past 28 years.
After running some errands, we visited the famous church of Santa Maria degli Angeli. It is a very strange and unusual church... designated as a world heritage site. It is unusual because, on the inside, there is the smaller, ancient chapel of Porziuncola, said to have been built by Saint Francis in the 1100's. Apparently, this chapel is where he first began his missionary work. He also died here at an adjacent chapel in 1226.
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| The front of the massive church, with a giant, golden Madonna at its peak |
And finally, because I just cannot get ENOUGH of these beautiful skies... more of them for you to enjoy (the happy by-product of how miserably cold and rainy it has been here, for the vast majority of my stay so far!)
Hi Sheri! WoW how exciting you're in Europe!! These pictures are beautiful as reading about your experiences and journey. How long will you be staying in Europe and are you planning on going back to India? Love and Blessings, Grace
ReplyDeleteThanks, Grace! Yes, it is exciting...and fun! And, as you noted, truly beautiful! My plan is to maximize my 90 days--unfortunately, all that is allowed for a tourist visit to Europe these days--and after that, really not sure as yet...so...stay tuned!! (After Italy will be Switzerland, France, Germany, Spain and Portugal... IF I manage all of it...we shall see!!!)
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