Cemetery

So, I got up a little late for my class at the gym today so I decided to attempt to go for a bike ride. I have taken the bike to the gym but, hadn't yet just rode around town so I thought I would try it out and tour some parts of town that I haven't seen. Luca had told me that there was a sidewalk bike route that went for a good distance so I figured I would just follow that. Well, that didn't turn out so well and I was getting really angry. The sidewalk stopped way before I thought it would and even before that there was construction about every two feet, so I spent more time walking my bike than riding it.

But eventually, I took a little side street and it got much better. So I was riding along and I came to this really pretty street next to the church that I pass everyday on the way to pick up Chicco. I had wanted to see what was down there so I went down it. Andrea had told me it was only really the cemetery but I figured I could at least check that out.

WOW! I am not a religious person at all and don't even really appreciate art so me saying this is a pretty big deal. The cemetery is the most beautiful cemetery I have ever seen. I literally could not believe it. I am considering going back to take pictures but I am not sure of the etiquette about taking pictures in a cemetery, I am sure it is not really highly recommended. So I will have to find a time when there aren't many people there. Anyway, for now I will just have to describe it. From the looks of it, the Italians have so much more respect for the dead than Americans do. Not that we don't respect the dead, because I always thought we did, until today. When you enter the cemetery (I now realize I'm not quite sure how to spell that word so I apologize), it looks like a florist or something. There are literally flowers on every single grave, and not just one or two. There are a lot. They even have little containers of water all around so that you can water the flowers when you come. The cemetery is huge, and there are just graves everywhere of every different kind. There are walls of graves piled high. There are those buildings with graves inside (don't know how to spell that word either). There are also mostly family plots of all kinds so there aren't many single graves but more entire families. Almost every grave has a photo of the person on it, as well as their name and dates. There is even a small section that I found for children, which was really sad. Especially because many only had one date, both birth and death. Very sad. Anyway, I was absolutely amazed, and even knowing not one person in there I think I could easily spend an hour just walking around the place.

Just thought I would share my amazement with you all. Despite the morbid topic, it actually turned out to be a pretty good morning and I will definitely go again.