It's a Small World After All

So, for our anniversary this year Matt and I went to Birmingham Alabama.  And just outside of Birmingham, is the St. Bernard Abbey.  They were having a wonderful festival there involving springtime or something really awesome like that.  Aah, it was the Blooming Festival.  Anyway, it's a pretty cool abbey. And they make their own candles.

Here is a monk (MONK... not Jedi... just in case you were to see just one of them and think maybe they were dressed as Jedis... if you were that lame... which apparently I am) who is selling the candles. (and currently on a head-set with tech support, which you can't really tell, but is pretty funny.)

 

And while we were there, we ran into the Ave Mario Grotto, which is on the National Register of Historic places... so it must be cool right?

I mean if it's on the national register of historic places... it's got to be pretty cool?

This is the Temple of the Fairies.  As you can see, it's made out of things like a toothpaste cap, sour cream tubs.  Cool, right?

This is Matt.  He's being a giant... in Rome.  See how much fun a miniature world is?  You can go all around the world, be a GIANT.  SUPER COOL!

Look!  It's the Colosseum!  In Italy!  this from the man who created Land of the Ferries, so let's not start judging now...

But look how many little villages he's created all next to each other... Amazing, right?  Just the scope of it!

And you get to see wonders of the world that aren't around anymore.

Wonders like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

Wonders like the Great Wall of China.  Right next to a Lizard Condo.  (you know, because Lizards need love too)

 And there are beautiful churches.

And this... this is the Grotto.  He actually made all those stalagmites and stalactites... and the Virgin Mary right in the middle.  Isn't it amazing?

And all this from a tiny little monk... who decided he wanted to make miniatures of things.  Crazy, right?  Crazy meaning cool...

ooh yeah, and there was a festival, and a monastery and stuff...  that was cool, too.  (I especially like the Monastery with the strawberry waffles outside.  FANTASTIC idea.)