June 26, 2002

Lubbock’s special treat: Vatican frescoes.

Elizabeth and Lee.

Before leaving town, we went to Texas Tech University's Museum. Currently showing there is a real surprise - the Vatican Museum is sharing 11th, 12th, and 13th century frescoes with the United States by bringing them to Lubbock, Texas. This is the only place this exhibition will arrive, the effort of a local Catholic priest to bring these treasures to a part of the country that would otherwise have few opportunities to see them. The frescoes of St. Nicola and Agnese had been rescued from two chapels in Rome, peeled off the walls and mounted for display. Elegant and enriching.

After a delicious Tejano breakfast of huevos rancheros, Elizabeth and her mom planted a few flowers in the backyard before we drove southeast towards San Angelo. Elizabeth's Dad moved here full-time not long ago to enjoy retirement to the fullest. His house sits on the edge of Lake Nasworthy, a refreshing spot for a Texas summer. We escaped the late afternoon heat to see a well-air-conditioned movie (Minority Report, the new Tom Cruise movie) and then shared tasty Texas steak suppers.