In early March 2014 we took a drive out to the annual Arcadia Country Fair which is hosted by the Benedictine Monks. This was not only a chance to acquire some produce and homemade jams but an opportunity to explore the Monastery. We were excited.
The fair was fun with pony rides for the kids and a few amusement rides. The fresh produce was amazing and we fund ourselves buying a whole tray of figs for $20.00. Bargain! But the real find was through the Monastery gates.
In the garden, we found a labyrinth. The kids were intrigued. What was is it? What did they do with it? If you remember anything from year 7 history you may remember something about a Minotaur, the mythical half man half bull? The Minotaur was trapped in a labyrinth designed by Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos until Theseus came along and killed it. Right? Remember? Basically, a labyrinth is like a maze only it has a single, non-branching path, which leads to the centre. Obviously, the one we found didn’t have any walls, unlike the one which the Minotaur would have been kept in.
The labyrinth kept the kids occupied for around 30 minutes of so. They did it once with me, then by themselves and then they created a speed race between the two of them. We then spent some time counting the rings of felled trees on the property and talking about the relics we discovered were housed in the chapel.
Want to visit? The monastery is never closed and be found at 121 Arcadia Rd, Arcadia NSW however I strongly recommend that you wait for the annual Arcadia Country Fair.
