WPC: Quest

Cheri Lucas Rowlands encourages us to show a picture of Quest. An almost impossible task…When I think of this word, Quest, I think of all my teaching years in literature and all the glorious quests portrayed there:

 

The Epic of Gilgamesh, a Sumerian story, The Odyssey by Homer, Siddhartha by Herman Hesse, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Alchemist  by Paulo Coelho and of course The Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling.

In these stories, the protagonists set out to almost impossible tasks, leaving home and safety plunging  into the unknown. So, where am I, a 21st century, middle aged woman, in all this? What is my Quest?

I guess in my little world there are no big ”saving the world”- quests – maybe saving myself quests only. I am constantly searching for and heading towards Inner Peace, being kind and compassionate along the road. I find peace in Nature and through doing good things, helping other fellow passengers on this route.

Hopefully, one day, I will be standing there, feeling that my quest is completed. I will be  completely calm and at peace with myself and the world.

 

 

 

 

 

Cee’s B&W Challenge: Two Different Things

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Two different things or the number two

Mmm, different, but maybe work well together. Visit Cee for more!

ceebw

Thursday Thoughts – The Black Cat

The gracious black cat immediately came up to me. And he would not leave me alone.

No, he did not want to…

In Western history, black cats have often been looked upon as a symbol of evil omens and friends of witches. In Sweden, as in most of Europe, a black cat is considered a symbol of bad luck, especially if one crosses paths with a person, which is believed to be an omen of misfortune and death.

But the folklore surrounding black cats varies from culture to culture. According to Wikipedia, The Scots believe that a strange black cat’s arrival to the home signifies prosperity. In Celtic mythology,  a fairy known as the Cat Sìth takes the form of a black cat. Black cats are also considered good luck in the rest of Britain and Japan. A belief I would like to argue for, is that a lady who owns a black cat will have many suitors… 

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I find black cats extremely attractive to the eye…but sometimes they have a menacing look, don’t they? My students were always treated to Edgar Allan Poe’s short horror story The Black Cat. Read it if you haven’t already – it is a classic.

For more facts about folklore and superstition about black cats, click here.

CFFC: Purples

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Purples

Purples for Cee – one of my favourite colours, especially on flowers.

Ant Invasion and a Teenage Party

At least once a year we visit Wanås, the park and the new installations. A must!

Rafael Gómezbarro’s installation ”Casa tomada” wants to portray the stream of refugees in the world, where the climbing ants are symbols for the hard working migrant. The installation comes from Bogota´and the house of parliament there.

Nathalie Djurberg and Hans Berg are the artists behind the installation ”In dreams”. You can hear the sound coming through the forest before you find it. Want to party?

Want to know a bit more about Wanås and the exhibition? Click here.

Travel theme: Seasonal

Travel theme: Seasonal

I am convinced I could never live without the seasons. And I can never leave Sweden in Spring – cannot miss the first wood anemonies and the beech trees. So…my theme for this theme of Seasonal, is my home forest.

Autumn will soon be here – crisp air and colours, colours, colours

Snowy Silence

Winter dreams – when the snow comes . Euphoria!

 

Spring is the season I immerse myself in all the Green – My favourite season

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Summer – how difficult it was to find a forest picture…I guess I walk in my forest just as much as every other season, but no photographing!

Film Review -”Looking For Infinity: El Camino”

Review of Looking For Infinity: El Camino (2014)                            Director: Aaron C. Leaman

This is a philosophical documentary, runtime 58 minutes. The text on the DVD says: ”Looking for Infinity: El Camino is an immersive voyage along the ancient pilgrimage route El Camino De Santiago.”

The film is said to be “an emotionally driven chronicle of a group of people all at turning points in their lives.” Some quotes from the walkers: “You walk and you become a humble being”; “I need to get away to recharge my batteries”; “Simplicity is the key”; “Religion and vanity takes your energy away[…] When I am in nature I recharge my energy”; ”El Camino is the best place to find people that really care about others”.

The message of this introspective movie is that we need to slow down and reflect upon our lives – and if you are at a crossroads or at a turning point, walking El Camino might give you some good answers to your questions. Those who have walked it and lived it often say it is a metaphor of Life itself. “I’m not here to get to the Goal but to do every single step”.

 

 

The film technique involves using the camera at walking pace to show the landscape passing by and the empty streets mixed with close-ups on people while someone is speaking – mostly not the person in focus. The sound is soft and natural for the most part: Walking on gravel, running water, birds singing, a piano and some slow drumming, a faint opera voice – or simply – silence.

The variety of people and reasons for walking are enough to show what this is all about. But, I believe the movie would have won some extra points by having a more equal combination of male and female thoughts and speakers. Both voices need to be heard.

 

The conclusion is simple – this is an important movie and a movie for everybody in our modern, stressed out society. Its slow pace might make it easier for you to get in contact with your inner self. In today’s society we need to question our living –  planet Earth is running out of her resources and our young (in the western society at least) are increasingly troubled by mental illnesses. There is a connection and we know it.

Looking For Infinity: El Camino, is a very philosophic piece of art, and beautifully directed. I think it appeals both to those who have walked the Camino and to those who are considering doing it – as well as to those who never have thought of it before.

The movie gives you many thoughtful comments and reasons for walking, and they  will stay in your mind for long. They might even inspire you to take a break from your busy life and enter on a great learning experience – El Camino.

 

Links to website for more about the movie, and for DVD: www.caminomovie.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/lookingforinfinity

 

For my own articles on El Camino, at Leya, click here:

El Camino

Buen Camino

Santiago de Compostela

Burgos – the Cathedral of Cathedrals

Burgos (founded in the year 884) in Castilla  y Léon is strategically set on the main road Madrid – France and also on the road to Santiago. The city has always had a prominent position in Spain.

We entered the old city through Arco de Santa Maria.

The Cathedral of Saint Mary of Burgos is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Its construction began in 1221, and the style of the cathedral is the Gothic, although it has, in its interior, several decorative Renaissance and Baroque elements. The construction and renovations were made with limestone.

The design of the main facade is related to the purest French Gothic style of the great cathedrals of Paris and Reims, while the interior elevation as a reference to Bourges Cathedral.

The characteristic pinnacles with crab ornaments can be seen in the header.

El Cid (Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, born 1043) was a charismatic, brave and courageous warrior who conquered the Mores and took Valencia for the Christians (and ruled the city until his death). He earned his name, El Cid, from Arabian Sidi (Lord) because of his great courage, but was made immortal by the poem El Cantar de Mío Cid (1180). His (and his wife´s) grave is just beneath the magnificent star dome. A dream place to be buried…

In the cathedral are preserved works of extraordinary artists, and the numerous architectural, sculptural and pictorial treasures inside include:

15th century art work – now being restored

The Cathedral could have been built yesterday…or restored the day before…that magnificent is its beauty. Every detail exquisite – I have never seen anything like it. And, I have seen many Cathedrals and churches… We enjoyed these treasures for more than two hours, and we could have stayed longer…

The Renaissance Golden staircase by Diego de Siloé, covers a whole wall – and in my opinion, this is the most outstanding gem in the cathedral. In fact, it became so famous, that it served as a model for many other famous staircases. Among others, the one of the Paris Opera.

The cathedral was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO on October 31, 1984. It is the only Spanish cathedral that has this distinction independently, without being joined to the historic center of a city or in union with other buildings.