Sister Wendy Beckett has been a nun

Sister Wendy Beckett has been a nun for nearly 50 years , since she was 16 . Most of the time she lives in solitary confinement in a caravan in the grounds of a Carmnelite monastery in Norfolk , often not speaking to anyone for 22 hours a day . But every few moths she leaves her caravan and travels round Europe , staying in international hotels and eating in famous restaurants . Why is she leading this double life? .How does a nun who has devoted her life to solitude and prayer become a visitor to the Rizt?
Sister Wenddy has a remarkable other life . She writes and presents an arts programme for BCC television called ' Sister Wenddy's Grand Tour . In it ,she visits European art capitals and gives her personal opinions on some of the word's most famous works of art . She begins each programme with these words : 'For over 20 years I lived in solitude . Now I'm seeing Europe for the first time . I'm visiting the world's most famous art treasures'. she speaksclearly and plainly , with none of the academic verbosity of art historians . TV viewers love her common-sense wisdom , and are fascinated to watch a kind , elderly , bespectacled , nun who is so obviously delighted by all she sees . They are infected by her enthusiasm . Sister Wenddy believes that although God wants her to have a life of prayer and solitary contemplation . He has also given her a mission to explain art in a simple manner to ordinary people . She say says : ' I thinhk God has been very good to me . Really I am a disaster as a person . solitude is right for me because I'm not good at being with other people . But of course I enjoy going to on tour . I have comfortable bed , a luxurious baths and good meals , but the joy of solitude and silent prayer . I always rush back to my caravan . People find this hard to understand . I have never wanted anything esle ; I am a blissfully happy woman .
Sister Wenddy's love of God and art is matched only by her love of good food and wine . she takes delight in poring over menus , choosing a good wine and wondering whether the steak is tender enough for her to eat because she has no back teeth . However , she is not delighted by her performance on television .
I can't bear to watch myself on television . I feel that I look so silly - a ridiculous black - clothed figure . Thank God we don't have a television at the monastery . I suppose I am famous in a way , but a 95% of my time is spent alone in my caravan , it really doesn't affect me . I'm unimportant.
Sister Wenddy earned $1,200 for the first series . The success of this resulted in an increase for the second series . The money is being used to provide new shower rooms for the Carmelite monastery