Monte Cassino

Nearly got blocked in this morning when the days Vesuvius visitors started to arrive. Driving out, we were head to head with a car at one point with no room for us to manoeuvre. We both just sat there – he had a space he could reverse back into but it took several Italian passers by to convince him. Truth was, we don’t think he knew how to reverse! Skirted round Naples terrified of taking a wrong turn and landing in the thick of it. Now we are up at the abbey of Monte Cassino….it’s very peaceful. The whole thing has been re-constructed since it was more or less obliterated in 1944. Inside though, it’s just as over the top and ornate as any of the other churches we’ve seen. No sign of any monks until we were coming away, when Guy said ‘buonasera’ to one in the garden. He nodded in reply and we later found out that they’re discouraged from speaking! Walked down to the Polish war cemetery where there were over 1000 buried. Humbling, to say the least. It’s been oppressively hot – even when the sun’s not out. It rained a bit this morning but feels like we could do with a load more.