The British are Leaving!

The Amalfi Coast Expedition: Part I.

Anglophiles fear not. The English Departure enjoyed (or suffered) our participation in exiting the city. Rome, being a part of Italy, with a Catholic heritage, recognizes that Holy Days are holidays, and so both November 1st and 2nd were days off from classwork. The one and only Father David of Northampton, as well as three of us US folks rented a car to head south on Wednesday evening on our way to the coast.

Our first point of visit was the Villa of the Venerable English College, located on Lake Albano, across from Castel Gandolfo, the Pope's summer residence. The English, being geniuses, in addition to having their longtime (thus the Venerable) house in Rome, have also had a house about 45 minutes south of the city.












Our first sight on arrival, in the gentle (very British) mist.

Since we had already had dinner in Rome, we retired to the library to have brilliant discussions about brilliant things over Scotch.












G.K. Chesterton can be found on these shelves.


Built where Roman summer homes stood at the time of Julius Caesar, the current building was a monastery for centuries. When we got up the next morning, on the Solemnity of All Saints, we were able to celebrate the Mass in the same chapel where Father David was ordained a deacon, and which had seen liturgies since the 1200's.
















What is the church called? Our Lady of the Snows!



We stayed for lunch before heading south. The excellent meal was served in the hall which had seen, in different incarnations, occupying Nazis, recovering alcoholics, and now, wandering vagabonds.
















Lunch served at 1.



After the bustle of the city, and the constant onslaught of maniacal mopeds, to be in the open was perfect.











Castel Gondolfo can be seen on the far shore.



To be continued . . .