Thursday Thoughts – Ama la Vida!

22 december, 201622 december, 2016 / Leya / 16 kommentarer

Ecuador Ama la Vida – and they do. And they make us, all visitors, do. And we love them, the Ecuadorians and their astonishing country and nature.

I came back a couple of days ago, but in my heart I am still there – and I will never leave. On my first day in Sweden I immediately caught a severe cold, but still had to go to work. Yesterday was my last working day before Christmas.

So, where to begin, trying to explain that my childhood dream has come true? That this journey was the greatest adventure of my life? But we all have different dreams…

As a 7-year-old girl I first borrowed a book about the remote Galapagos Islands, and learned there was a place on earth where animals and humans lived in peace with each other. The animals were not afraid of humans, and you could sit right next to them and we could talk to each other as true friends. The little girl marvelled and nourrished a dream in her heart, that someday and somehow she would travel to these enchanted islands…

After this day she devoured everything about the Galapagos Islands…and later, on TV, she listened to David Attenborough and …her heart and mind was set. About then, she also decided to one day walk in the jungle, listening to all the sounds in the dark night, in the REAL jungle, the Amazonas. I do not think she realized the possibility of these two dreams once coming true within the same country, within the same year and the same month.

To a little girl who loved animals more than people, and who, in fact, in many ways still prefers animals to people – such a journey was the ultimate dream.

On this fantastic journey, I met some astonishing people as well…people I never will forget. They enriched my life and will hopefully continue to do so. The artist Jane Tomlinson and her photographing husband Moth Clark are two extraordinary gifted people. Their deep feelings for, and knowledge of, the natural world are genuine and vibrant. Moth’s photos are outstanding and Jane’s paintings as vibrant as life itself.

I received the permission from Jane herself to use one of her paintings in this post. I love starlings, so this was a natural choice. Now I am looking forward to seeing more of Moth’s photos from the Galapagos Islands and some lovely paintings by Jane. Ama la Vida – easily done when you see Jane’s artwork! The art of Jane Tomlinson.

Thank you so much for visiting, and waiting – I will be posting more when I am recovered!

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Ann-Christine

Thursday Thoughts – Children’s Climate prize goes to…

24 november, 201624 november, 2016 / Leya / 3 kommentarer

http://childrensclimateprize.org/

Childrens climate prize 2016 The winner Ziuhtezcatl Tonatiuh Martinez, USA So, he tells us he is young and that he is the future

– I believe in him. He makes me believe there is a future.

Thursday Thoughts – A Story of …Love

17 november, 201617 november, 2016 / Leya / 12 kommentarer

In Vilnius I saw this young couple coming out of a church. They did not hold hands. The young lady was holding her dress instead. He was walking casually right behind her.

In one of the old city’s most famous spots, they were photographed.

They looked so young…yet I believe they had known each other for a while. No infatuation shining, no signs of being ”in love”. I watched them silently walking down the street – no sign of guests or friends. Still not holding hands. Half an hour later we saw them sitting on a bench in the square, munching some fast food and watching the air balloons sailing across the sky.

I wonder what they were thinking. I wonder about their lives and their future. I would have liked to listen to their story.

Travel theme: Enlightened

8 oktober, 20168 oktober, 2016 / Leya / 14 kommentarer

Travel theme: Enlightened

Ailsa throws in a helping hand for us all who are both low and high these days. The world is so troubled and it is impossible not to get depressed by the news received every day. Let us all try to muster some hope, some enlightened thoughts and deeds – we need Peace, Love and Compassion on Earth.

In the header, two old gentlemen walking in Segovia.

Love – my son and his dog

Love – my two children

Love – parent and child

Love – drawing by my daughter of two of her friends

Love – still hiking together

Hiking Festival at Hovdala

12 september, 201612 september, 2016 / Leya / 8 kommentarer

Hiking festival at Hovdala – a part of Eurorando, Europe’s biggest hiking and walking event. There were many groups and trails to choose from. I joined the photography group.

And what a day we had. In the middle of September – and 25 degrees Celsius…A bit too warm for hiking really, but an ordinary autumn, the alternative would have been rain.

We were 15 in our group

the trail was 9 kilometres…

…through woodlands and open fields

We met some riders and horses as well

And cows of course

Our photographic leader handed out many tips and tricks

Between 5000 and 7000 hikers from all of Europe travel to Skåne during 7 days to walk the Scanian trails, socialize and explore the Swedish nature, culture and society.

The landscape showed its best and so did the weather. After the walk we were all served a delicious vegan chili soup with bread. Thank you all participants for a glorious day well spent!

Santiago de Compostela – The Goal for Every Pilgrim

6 september, 20167 september, 2016 / Leya / 16 kommentarer

What gave me most joy about Santiago de Compostela, was to see all the pilgrims arriving at Praza do Obradoiro in front of the impressive baroque facade of the Cathedral.

So much joy!

Tired…

With hurting feet…

But happy! The 16-year old boy ,to the left, said he was ready to do the same again – starting tomorrow!

And proud to show their stamped ”passport”…

…and diploma. this man had walked the Camino 7 times. Often together with some difficult young boys

Resting…

Changing shoes and going for a stroll in the city

Then every pilgrim must attend the Pilgrim’s Mass. So, let us join the them and enter into the magnificent Cathedral, built for S:t Jakob in 1000-1200 .

The ritual with the Botafumeiro has an interesting history…

…where you can kiss the 13th century statue of S.t Jacob

Beauty in …

…every detail

The Botafumeiro is filled with incense…

…and swinged in every angle over our heads. An old tradition to take away the stench of the many pilgrims…

So, this is the end of the pilgrim adventure for now – But maybe some day…

Buen Camino!

6 september, 2016 / Leya / 21 kommentarer

”Buen Camino”, is the word following the pilgrims along their walk. I guess there is no real good word for this in either English or Swedish. Can you find one?

Astorga and its Cathedral is on the pilgrim road to Santiago

The golden altar piece by Gaspar Becerra is considered a masterpiece in Spanish renaissance style

The pilgrims pass many glorious cathedrals on the Camino, and Leon and Astorga are only two of them.

They also pass Rio Arga over Puente la Reina, built for the pilgrims in the 11th century.

In this little town I found my favourite pilgrim church, Iglesia del Crucifijo. This is almost a tiny chapel, very serene, rather dark and undecorated. But, here they have an unusual wooden crucifix in the shape of a Y, with a sad looking Christ with raised arms. The cross is said to be a gift from a German pilgrim in the 14th century.

Every pilgimage has its own story. I guess many Camino walkers are religious, but the majority of pilgrims I talked to were not – they walked for other reasons. One middle aged man had lost his wife, and he needed to collect his memories and get a closure. Another man, a young man, followed his girlfriend here. She had always dreamt of walking the Camino. Now they were both smitten.

The Camino is well signposted, just follow the shell, and the pilgrims themselves. Not all of the pilgrims want to tell their story, but some do. A young American IT-engineer told me he wanted to be ”grounded”, wanted to connect body and soul and Mother Earth. Our western society do not allow us to do so, unless we go looking for it ourselves.

The North route…

…and an early wanderer

This sign was among the more unusual ones

Along the road the crossings were well marked

Resting place

You can walk, bike or ride the Camino

The stories. Yes. A friend of mine has got a niece walking the Camino this summer. Her story tells of 19 years’ struggle to raise her autistic boy. This spring he finally graduated high school. Walking the Camino is for her a relief and a way of trying to find her old self again – after a great mission accomplished.

At Monasterio de Nuestra Señora bodega, there is a tap in the wall where pilgrims can have a glass of wine for free…This hot summer day I assure you it tasted just fine. And there are two taps – in the right one you get water. That tasted even better.

And when evening comes, hopefully there is a place for you to sleep and prepare for another strenous Camino day. Whatever your reasons to walk are – I am sure you are doing the right thing.

Buen Camino – see you in Santiago!

El Camino – maybe some day…

4 september, 20164 september, 2016 / Leya / 20 kommentarer

Have you ever thought about walking the 1000 year old pilgrim paths, eighthundred + kilometres, from St Jean Pied de Port in France to Santiago de Compostela in Spain?

I am thinking about it, right now…

This summer we met many pilgrims on our Spanish journey, and what we learned from them, was peace of mind and reflecting thoughts of life… What am I doing here and where am I going – and Why? Pain of course…but as we happened to meet so many different pilgrims, we realized how many different reasons there are for their pilgrimage and the ultimate joy and satisfaction when arriving in Santiago. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims walk one of these routes every year, and in a couple of posts I will try to convey something of what we learned about why they choose to go through this 800 – kilometre ordeal.

On our way to Astorga and the great cathedral, we stayed at this pilgrim albergue – our first one. At the entrance we were welcomed by Evilio, and immediately he set the mood: Contemplative and calm – Total Harmony.

Already the paw here told me something…

The stairs to our room…

…simple and clean

I loved the window sill – massive stone

Arya was only 14 months, but they were a radar pair, she and Evilio

Every morning we were awakened by the sound of the pilgims’ sticks. The earlier you are up, the earlier you will be at your goal for the day. First to the albergue gets a bed.

The Camino was just outside our window. And every evening there were new pilgrims lodging – and hopefully telling their story. Some did not want to talk much though. According to the old tradition, you should not talk during your journey. You should stay concentrated on your inner qualities.

Late in the evening, these two friends would come walking after a tour on the Camino. The yellow stone is the mark.

Keep your window open…

A Living Legend…

22 augusti, 201622 augusti, 2016 / Leya / 2 kommentarer

Legend has it that Santo Domingo, who lived around the year 1000, was honoured for his miracles … by keeping a live cock and hen in a golden cage in the church wall.

Santo Domingo de la Calzada

The story tells of a German pilgrim, who rejected a local girl’s love, but then she wrongly accused him of theft, and the pilgrim was hanged. Later his parents found him still alive in the gallows. The parents went to the local judge, who said: ”Nonsense, he is not more alive than the cooked rooster on my plate.” Then the rooster stood up and crowed.