A wordless journal - Zubiri to Alto del Perdon

Day 78 - A world without bees...

Walking 780km without all the worldly luxuries that most of us have become accustomed to, is going to be quite a challenge. I know my walk is months away but I am already thinking about what I'm going to miss most. 

I know certain things are going to be pretty non-negotiable for me. I LOVE coffee. I suspect Spaniards love their caffeine fix as much as I do, so I'm hoping there will be a regular and quality supply of my one basic must-have! 

I do love an afternoon siesta when I can squeeze it in. Again, I suspect, if I arrive early enough after an early morning start, I might be obliged in that department as well.... 

I might as well accept that I will have to do without my hairdryer, my car keys, my laptop, my call-for-free between 7pm and 7am phone deal, the guarantee of a delicious three course meal every day, laundry service, cable TV, a private en-suite bedroom every night, a soft (bed bug free) mattress, late wake-up calls and breakfast in bed.

Well, believe it or not - I actually can't wait! Imagine being in a space where your main purpose is to get from point A to point B at your own pace, with just a bag on your back and ALL the freedom in the world to let your thoughts go to a place of peace where the deadlines and demands of daily 'normal' living is non-existent!

A spiritual journey of discovery. What a gift.

My mind is already wandering as today I really wanted to tell you about something that neither you or I, whether on a camino or not, would be able to do without. A tiny little creature that we take for granted and in fact don't really want near us most of the time.

The honeybee. Take a minute to ponder this thought...

No bees

No pollination

No plants

No animals

No people

Here are some of the bees, plants, animals and people as seen through my lens the last couple of months. Looking at these photos really brought the gravity of the above statement home to me! Just imagine. A world without bees. Unthinkable.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/08/20/sunday/main1913900.shtml

Day 32 - Say it with colour!

Our photography club meets tonight and I thought I'd post a preview of my attempts! This month we had to choose a theme colour and than photograph anything we felt drawn to. I chose to have fun with food and flowers...

The author of the wonderful book I'm reading at the moment, Tony Kevin, has given me the green light to chat about and quote from his book. 'Walking the Camino' is a fascinating read and I will be sharing it with you over the next couple of days. 

Here is a little piece that sets the tone:

'As I looked at the faces of the happily chatting men and women pilgrims around me - English, Germans, Spanish, Dutch, Canadians, Japanese - I began to feel the spirit of the Santiago pilgrimage starting to enter quietly into my soul. There was fellowship here,human solidarity, and generosity of spirit.It wasn't just about endurance walking and blisters on hot, dry roads: there was something more happening here.'