San Leo #3of3

The Wedding Party

We watched as a small wedding party awaited the arrival of a car bringing the bride. The groom met her with a bouquet of flowers, and the whole occasion was being recorded by three people with video cameras. We stayed to the side, out of the way, since we looked out of place in our tourist grungies, while all around us people were dressed in finery, and San Leo's church was decorated with flowers for the wedding.

The Motorcycle Club

The fourth time we visited San Leo (third time inside the city), just as we made the mirror-assisted turn we met a police car that managed to get off to the side, so we could continue to the center of town. Part of the town square was filled with tables, loaded with food and drink, but very few people. A half-hour later we heard the roar as a motorcycle club came into town for a celebration of some kind. We were invited to partake of the food by the waiters and waitresses who either didn't care who ate from the bountiful supply, or couldn't tell the difference between tourists from California and members of an Italian motorcycle club.

One Renovation Complete, One Just Started

Now we found the renovation of the old, old parish church was complete. We had arrived in town while the church was jammed with parishioners for the Sunday morning church service, but when the service ended, we were permitted to wander inside. The ancient glistening stones resounded with the myriad voices of the parish church organ, as we enjoyed our examination of the freshened stone and the magnificently renovated building.

The exquisite thousand year old 'new' church just next door is built in what they call the Lombard - Romanesque style. Since the renovation of the 'old' church is now complete, we weren't surprised when we visited the 'new' church and saw it was full of scaffolding, undergoing its turn at refreshment. Since we remember the interior as being beautiful and awe inspiring the last time we looked, we wonder how it can be improved. Well, we remember the glorious results when the stone was cleaned in the parish church across the way, and in huge Gothic Cathedrals in several countries, so we intend to visit San Leo again some day soon to make sure they have completed the renovation of the 'new' church, just as they did the old.