Ciao! Today has been wonderful. We are enjoying a slower paced afternoon and I am really excited about it. We woke up this morning around 7 and rode the bus to Montelabate visit an historic abbey. I wasn't quite sure what to imagine but the experience definitely exceeded my expectation. We were dropped at the bottom of a hill and walked up to the benedictine abbey, built before the year one thousand. Its official name is Abbazia di Santa Maria Valdiponte a Montelabate. We met the tour guide there and his presentation was translated to us by Catia and Matteo. 

He showed us around the abbey and we were able to view some of the rooms within in.

He took us to a wine cellar and showed us where people can donate paintings to earn money for a nearby hospital that works to research and cure cancer. One in particular stood out to me. It was not fancy, but merely a drawing of a woman with bright colors. 

He told us that the woman who painted it told him that many things like school and everyday tasks see like major things now but will all eventually fade. However, a mother is one of a kind and can never be replaced. The woman's mother had passed so the painting was of her. I really resonated with this because I too get caught up with things that do not matter over time and it was a refresher to really appreciate things in the moment and those actually worthwhile. 

After our tour, we went down to a villa connected to the abbey and ate some lunch. We were able to get dropped off at Corciano, the town on the hill above our villa and get the best Gelato we have had so far. 

The man who owns the shop is so nice and there is a spot outside for us to sit and talk before walking back down. We have had time this afternoon to relax and get some homework done which is really nice. We have dinner at 7:30 and that ends our 8th day here in Italy!