Franciscan monks live in the other half of this 1940s building. This side seems to be used as a hostel. When Hernan & the preparatory team arrived, they found a dirty, trashed & very cold house with dirt covering all surfaces. Some rooms remain uninhabitable even now, and some habitable rooms have no heating. But the kitchen is much better than many we have used on courses. Originally, this was a facility to train priests; perhaps the supply of aspirants has dwindled.
An interesting point: Guitar Craft needs a facility for courses, but often the building needs Guitar Craft. There is an energy that appears when GC is present which is available to contribute to the spirit of a house. Our main meeting room here was, yesterday, the chapel. The monks helped to move & clear the space, so now we are able to benefit in turn from the spirit of that space.
There have been more cancellations than usual, for a variety of reasons. A new one is the need for visas in Italy (& Spain) for visitors from South America. This leaves 77 people if everyone arrives. Hernan feels that we may lose a couple more.
Cathy Stevens, here to present the Alexander Technique, and I met at the gate in Heathrow Terminal Two. Happily, the Alitalia journey was fine, albeit with a layover of 3 hours in Rome. Allessandro Bruno, also of the Europa String Choir, collected us at Ancona and drove us the 75 kilometres to Sassoferrato.
"Welcome the unexpected, but not the arbitrary."
