At last the sun is shining!

Im certain that the sun influences the way we feel. I always feel better, brighter, more active and optomistic when I wake to a sunny day.  I guess I am lucky to live in Australia! And the sun is still shining on Susan Boyle - the sky’s the limit.  Wouldn’t a duet with Susan and Paul Potts be something?

Last week I received an email from a lady looking for inexpensive accommodation in Sicily for she and her husband. I wrote back and told her about the Convento di Cefalu, run by the Sisters of the Holy Family who offer accommodation to tourists. Now this place is by no means the Paris Ritz but it still has a lot going for it if cheap, safe, clean and well-located is a priority.

Cefalu, a small fishing town is built on a rocky outcrop on the northern Sicilian coast between the port town of Messina and Palermo the capital city. The convent sits alongside the water’s edge and the front facing guestrooms have eye-popping views over the ancient town, the Gulf of Cefalu and the Tyrrhenian sea. A 12th century Norman cathedral dominates the town, there is a long, white sandy surfing beach, lots of hole-in-the-wall trattorias serving fresh seafood and a medieval ‘old town,’ which needless to say adds up to a popular holiday destination. Cefalu would be a very good base for exploring the rest of Sicily and is on the Palermo train line.

Have a look at the convent on www.conventisicilia.com

Happy traveling…

Just joined Twitter and finding the going difficult as I don’t  do ‘coolspeak’ - find it quite difficult, having been brought up to spell correctly and cross the t’s and dot the i’s.  And there is not much you can say in 140 letters. However, I have vowed to keep up with modern technology – a case of use it or lose it, I’m afraid, but I am going to master it (and possibly sound like a nerd in the process).

 Actually, through Twitter I have made some interesting contacts in the book, publishing and travel world. I even trade ‘tweets’ with a monastery in Scotland as well with other writers, my USA book publicist, an American site dedicated to mothers (Moms Rising) and  various travel sites offering great deals and insights – and still adding to the list. If you join up (free) please send me a ‘tweet’.

‘Til next time….

Last night I had a surprise telephone call from a friend who was staying with his wife in a convent guesthouse in Rome.  He rang to tell me how happy they were with their room and that the sisters were very lovely and the convent clean and comfortable (and cheap). Not being at all religious or having had anything to do with nuns or monks in the past they were genuinely surprised that they were actually enjoying the experience.  They were quite taken aback when at breakfast they were waited on by nuns in full habit – a first for many guests, I would imagine!

I suggested that while they were staying in the centre of Rome that they wander down to the L’Eau Vive Restaurant (French) in the Via Monterone, just around the corner from the convent. This is one of the city’s unique eating places as it run by an order of French speaking nuns.  The food is French (so is the wine – I can personally vouch for the St-Emilion merlot) and the sisters offer a substantial menu with plenty of choice.  The chef is a nun and nuns wait on the tables.  What makes this restaurant even more unique is that at around 2100 each evening the sisters down tools and gather in the main dining room, (there are two dining rooms) join hands and offer a short prayer.  Hymn cards are then handed around to the sometimes surprised guests, the music is turned on and a sister invites the diners to join with them in singing Ave Maria. And as the words are printed in English there is no excuse not to join in.  Whenever I have been there I can’t help but notice how everyone seems to enjoy this rather unique experience. The singing is always enthusiastic and I wonder what the people walking past the restaurant must think???  Don’t miss it! http://www.restauranteauvive.it                                                                                                          

Hello.

I went to a great book launch to-day. The book is called Bold Bhutan Beckons and is written by Tim Fischer AC, Australia’s Ambassador to the Holy See and Bhutanese author Tshering Tashi. The book provides a general outline of this apparently wonderful place of ‘gross national happiness’. The launch took place in the library of State Parliament House in Macquarie Street, Sydney and was attended by about 100 people including some smart young Bhutanese boys and girls dressed in their national costume. Bhutan is a place close to Tim’s heart and he and his family have spent much time in the kingdom. One thousand of the books have been donated to school and public libraries in Bhutan so that school children can grow up knowing a little about their country. I wasn’t really all that sure of exactly where in Asia Bhutan is. However, I now know that it lies close to the Himalayas between India and China.

One of the speakers at the launch  told the story of how when she visited Bhutan for the first time she met a Bhutanese farmer. He had a large orchard from where he sold fruit to the locals.  When asked if he had any of the usual horticultural problems such as getting enough water, insects eating the fruit, etc.,  he replied ‘My biggest problem is that the pickers keep being eaten by lions’.

In his speech Tim spoke of his first months as Ambassador and said that Pope Benedict  was very concerned about the loss of life in the recent Victorian bushfires. A special Mass was celebrated in St Peter’s Basilica by the Pontiff, with Tim and many other Australians who were in Rome at the time, attending.

Bold Bhutan Beckons by Tim Fischer is available from CopyrightPublishing                         http://www.copyright.net.au                                                                                                                               ISBN 978-1876344597

‘Til next time…

Susan Boyle – what a special lady.

With her God given talent Susan bought tears to the eyes of many of us with her show stopping performance.  How fabulous that an everyday ordinary person can stir the emotions in such a way.  I read where she has already bought a leather jacket, had a makeover and her hair dyed. I was rather hoping she would stay just as she is – why should the best things in life have to come gift-wrapped? A voice like that needs no extra garnish – its for real!

The age-old lesson – don’t judge a book by its cover (except GNAGB!)

‘Til next time…

Hello!

Have just returned from spending Easter in New Zealand, a place I have never been to before. It began as a weekend trip for my husband and son to cheer on their favourite Rugby team who were playing at Invercargill, a small town located at the bottom of South Island. However, when I kindly invited myself along it stretched into an Easter-long motoring break around the island.

I can confidently report that there are no convents and monasteries taking in tourists for overnight stays in the South Island of New Zealand.  However, I did find a very tiny convent in Arrowtown,  established by Mary MacKillop in the late 19^th century the and home to four sisters.  The convent has been beautifully restored by the local people and is now a walk-in monument. Upon her arrival in the town Mary wrote “Such an entry as we made into the pretty town! Father Keenan and Father O’Donnell leading the way in the former’s buggy - the four of us in a large double buggy driven by Mr Murray, followed by the other buggies and riders.”Mary MacKillop October 1897

Arrowtown in itself is well worth a visit.  It is one of the prettiest little villages in the country with a rustic main street lined with old wooden buildings occupied by cosy cafes and art and craft shops and, when we were there it seem the whole settlement was engulfed in a blaze of autumn leaves.  The scenery in this country is reminiscent of the best of Scotland and Switzerland and there seemed to be an eye-popping surprise around every corner.

Food and wine are taken very seriously here and we indulged in succulent Canterbury lamb and fishing basket fresh Akaroa salmon. We ‘passed’ on the deer, the ostrich and the beer flavoured ice-cream.  A special treat were the Bluff oysters.  Bluff is one of the southernmost towns in the country and for a few months from March each year these little (quite large, actually) beauties come into season here - a delicious salty, creamy textured, meaty treat. And of course we had to try the famous Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs and New Zealand’s rich, fruity Pinot Noirs.

The only sad part of the story to report is that our footy team lost!

‘Til next time….

Hello!

We have just added some new accommodation to the Good Night and God Bless website, including two excellent convent/monasteries in Rome and a great holiday motel run by the De La Salle Brothers in the resort town of Narooma, south of Sydney.

One of the convents in Rome is close to The Vatican and the other near the Colosseum. And there is plenty to do in Narooma from whale watching and wine tasting to surfing and scuba diving or just lying around on one of Australia’s most picturesque sandy beaches. The De La Salle Brother’s motel is  ideal  for a week-end getaway and you can even take the family pet.

 Many of the convents and monasteries discussed in the book are run by the hospitable Benedictine Order.  In doing some research I was amazed to discover that a medal of St Benedict, the founder of Benedictine monasticism found its way to the International Space Station in 2008. According to the website 

http://www.osb.org/new/0704new.html 

‘Station Commander Peggy Whitson, of the International’s Space Station’s Expedition 16 is the daughter of a cousin of Sister Mary Ethel Burley OSB (Mount St Scholastica in Atchison, Kansas). Last summer when Sister Mary Ethel was visiting her family, she gave Peggy a medal of Saint Benedict to take with her on the six-month assignment to the space station.’

Log onto the link to see a taped holiday message from Astronaut Whitson and her colleagues.

Next month is going to be very exciting for all of us at GNAGB. Good Night and God Bless will be released in the USA and Canada.  Paulist Press in New Jersey are publishing the guide through their Hidden Spring imprint which specialises in non-fiction with a spiritual twist. The book will be available in the general bookstores, Christian bookshops and online from Paulist Press and of course, amazon.com

‘Til next time….

The days have been glorious here in Sydney – so much so that last weekend I went with friends for a ramble along the walking tracks around the foreshores of Sydney Harbour. We unexpectedly discovered a little jewel in Sydney’s crown – one that is not written up in most of the major tourist guides.

Known as Wendy Whiteley’s garden, this extensive track of what was once Rail Corp landfill has been cleaned up, mulched and fertilised and coaxed into producing some stunning flora complemented by statues and walking paths, centuries old oak trees and masses of flower laden, highly perfumed Brugmansia (Angel Trumpet) trees. Artist Wendy Whiteley designed and planted the garden herself, over a 20 year period.  Pathways and steps lead to secret nooks and crannies where rustic tables and chairs have been thoughtfully positioned so visitors can enjoy the views over Lavender Bay and across to the Harbour Bridge.  We had the good fortune to meet Wendy who happened to be working in the garden at the time. She told us that even though the land was government property she would like the garden to be a gift for the people of NSW to enjoy.  However, the usual governmental and council red tape is not making it easy! If last weekend is anything to go by the garden is already well used by local residents out for a leisurely stroll, picnicking/celebrating couples and families. 

The ashes of Wendy’s husband Brett, one of Australia’s foremost artists, who died tragically in 1992 and their daughter Arki are buried in the garden at a location known only to Wendy.

Milson’s Point is the nearest train station and if you  are a tourist staying at Anderledy Lodge, the Sisters of St Joseph’s accommodation centre (see GNAGB website) in North Sydney you can just stroll on down. However, be aware that there are quite a number of steps leading down to the garden which is located at the bottom of Lavender Street. From the garden harbourside walking tracks trail off in both directions.

In 2008 Wendy appeared on an ABC national talk show, Enough Rope with host Andrew Denton.  The audio or transcript can be found at: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s2440752.htm                                                                 

We are always on the lookout for a new convent guesthouse to add to the ‘Overseas Accommodation’ page on the Good Night and God Bless website.  We include accommodation which is available to tourists in countries worldwide along with photos and full contact details. We will add to this list every month. Convent and monastery guesthouses in fourteen countries are represented at the moment and the list is growing. Religious guesthouse are unique place to stay and have the added benefits of  being clean, safe, cheap and well located; so please take advantage of them and spend what you save in accommodation on having a good time!

Hello Again,

During a recent radio interview about Good Night and God Bless I was asked a question which had never been put to me before. It was:

‘Can unmarried couples stay overnight in a convent or a monastery’

At first I was a little taken aback and could only thank the interviewer very much for asking me such a question on national radio! However, I soon realised what an important question this was and tried to answer it as carefully as I could, with both the couple and the convent taken into consideration.

I am sure others must be curious to know the same thing.  Now you may or may not agree with me, but I have included my thoughts on such a situation below.

My golden rule when travelling, is – do not bring attention to yourself. Although sometimes it can be a little like the nuns in the movie Sister Act, trying to ‘blend in’ dressed in full habit while running around in a Las Vegas casino, it usually works and manages to keep me away from trouble.

If an unmarried couple turned up at a convent looking for accommodation and applied this rule then I am sure there would be no problem.  They would in all probability be accepted as a married couple, no questions asked.

However, I think it would be safe to say that even those of us who don’t follow a Christian faith would still have a pretty good idea of how a member of a religious community would view this situation. And agree with them or not, if the facts were known unmarried couples would hardly be welcome. When staying in someone’s home we are not usually told how to behave. However, it is considered normal, respectful behaviour to follow the (unspoken) rules of the household – and the same would apply when staying in a convent or monastery guesthouse.

For couples in this situation it would be much better for all concerned to find a cheap, cosy, inexpensive hotel – and come back to the convent when you are married!

‘Til next time…