I've just finished my Celtic Pilgrimage to Devon and Cornwall. If there is such a thing as past lives, I'm sure I've lived one in this part of the world. The standing stones - Stonehenge and Avebury as well as the hundreds that just dot the landscape have an energy and a mystery that brings me back time and time again. The gorgeous little villages around the coastline - many of which used to be the haunts of smugglers and pirates (when they were considered to be romantic figures and not people who get caught on "Border Security".) We visited Tintagel, too. Tintagel is where King Arthur is supposed to have been born. Or should I say, one of the places.. We parked our bus in the King Arthur Car Park, so I guess they win!
Along the way we ate Cornish Pasties and scones with jam and clotted cream (ignore the gluten) and drank Cider and Mead. One town we stopped at - Clovelly, is built into the side of a cliff. The town is privtely owned and it consists of a single, very steep cobbled road with little lanes going off on one side. You have to walk, or ride a donkey, but the donkeys were elsewhere. That left walking. Luckily someone has built a road nearby so that a 4-wheeled drive can bring you back up if you can't face the return journey on foot. I visited Clovelly in 1969 and I don't remember a 4-wheeled drive - or perhaps I just didn't need it then.
One of the highlights for me was Glastonbury. Any other fans of "The Mists of Avalon" will know why. Glastonbury is gorgeous, but it is also a town that has embraced all forms of alternate religions - sometimes combining them all. Shops called "Celtic Dreams" will also sell Buddhas, and African Carvings. As well as Celtic Crosses. But the whole town has a buzz. While we were there the Glastonbury Music Festival was on - (in fields out of town), and since rain is traditional for the Festival, we had Misty Rain. All very atmospheric.
The trip also included time at Bath, where they have now opened the excavations beside the Roman Baths of the roman temple to Sulis Minerva. Minerva was, of course, a Roman Goddess who was the counterpart to the Greek Athena. (I like them both because their symbols were owls). Sulis means sun, so these baths and temple were dedicated to her role as a sun goddess.
Luke is taking a couple of days off work at the end of the week and we are spending 4 days in Switzerland together. Our base will be Geneva. So something quite different to the previous week.
Thanks for following my progress. By the way, the plants that were indoor plants were succulents, marantas (Prayer plants) and other coloured leaf plants.
