I wonder if I'd call my three weeks in Paris and one week in the Normandy area (14 years ago) a pilgrimage as much as an experience of slow-paced travel with my journal, without escorted tours or a defined itinerary. Still, it was a time of personal growth and introspection. I am planning another one in September to Portugal for a shorter period. Investigating the Art of the Green Path is interesting.
Take an attitude of flexibility, be open, plan ahead. Slow down by sitting in a cafe people watching or make yourself a picnic and spread out at a beautiful park or rivers edge. Take a cooking class, or watercolors. I remember attending free tango lessons & watching the experts take to the floor afterwards. Take your journal everywhere & at museums contemplate the art and write how the piece makes you feel. Remembering this time has me digging into my old blog.
Joyce, I look forward to your continuing contemplation. Hundertwasser is one of my favorite artists. His "community" in Vienna was mind-blowing for me.
Becky ... thanks for this ... Vienna was outside my target zone so your response is helpful. This feels a little like winning the lottery and not knowing how to spend the money. ;-)
Between four to six days away from home seems most enjoyable for me at this stage of life (and doesn't use up too much of the limited time I have left to explore). It is helpful being based in the UK, where I can easily get to Europe for a short pilgrimage.
Lynn ... 4-6 days would be perfect except for the long flight to get there. I was online exploring interesting towns in the UK and I could definitely make a LONG exploration there.
A true pilgrimage always seemed overwhelming to me. I’ve trod in some of the places you mention, including Vienna, where a plump hausfrau came charging over the grass to chastise my small group of friends where we sat having a picnic in a city park.
“Das ist verbotten!” she shouted, waving a finger at us. “Das ist verboten!”
My “pilgrimages” have always been short (1-2 weeks). I’ve hiked through the Austrian Alps, walked around a few places in England and Italy, through medieval, hilltop villages in rural France, and I’ve trapped bobcats in California—among other sojourns. I’ve never given any thought to what might connect the pieces of this apparently disparate journey. Maybe it’s time to do that—a kind of pilgrimage in itself.
It was Austria. Very militant about their rules, such as not damaging the perfection of a green expanse of public grass. I've been in the country twice, many years apart, and I can understand how Hitler came from there. I don't mean to say they're Nazis, just that they take their rules seriously. In the Voralberg region, all houses must be built like chalets, and they must all have window boxes with flowers during summer.
Thanks ... great input for my planning. And gives me some input on understanding Hundertwasser who came from that environment and managed to break so many rules. ;-)
I wonder if I'd call my three weeks in Paris and one week in the Normandy area (14 years ago) a pilgrimage as much as an experience of slow-paced travel with my journal, without escorted tours or a defined itinerary. Still, it was a time of personal growth and introspection. I am planning another one in September to Portugal for a shorter period. Investigating the Art of the Green Path is interesting.
Love the sound of slow-paced travel with journal. Do you have any nuggets to share from that time?
Take an attitude of flexibility, be open, plan ahead. Slow down by sitting in a cafe people watching or make yourself a picnic and spread out at a beautiful park or rivers edge. Take a cooking class, or watercolors. I remember attending free tango lessons & watching the experts take to the floor afterwards. Take your journal everywhere & at museums contemplate the art and write how the piece makes you feel. Remembering this time has me digging into my old blog.
Thanks for all the great reminders … the thought of picnics and rivers is particularly appealing.
Joyce, I look forward to your continuing contemplation. Hundertwasser is one of my favorite artists. His "community" in Vienna was mind-blowing for me.
Becky ... thanks for this ... Vienna was outside my target zone so your response is helpful. This feels a little like winning the lottery and not knowing how to spend the money. ;-)
It's a great 1st world problem to have, though...
Between four to six days away from home seems most enjoyable for me at this stage of life (and doesn't use up too much of the limited time I have left to explore). It is helpful being based in the UK, where I can easily get to Europe for a short pilgrimage.
Lynn ... 4-6 days would be perfect except for the long flight to get there. I was online exploring interesting towns in the UK and I could definitely make a LONG exploration there.
The only pilgrimage I could do is one in my head since getting out sand about is a struggle
That could be interesting also … the internet offers us so much.
A true pilgrimage always seemed overwhelming to me. I’ve trod in some of the places you mention, including Vienna, where a plump hausfrau came charging over the grass to chastise my small group of friends where we sat having a picnic in a city park.
“Das ist verbotten!” she shouted, waving a finger at us. “Das ist verboten!”
My “pilgrimages” have always been short (1-2 weeks). I’ve hiked through the Austrian Alps, walked around a few places in England and Italy, through medieval, hilltop villages in rural France, and I’ve trapped bobcats in California—among other sojourns. I’ve never given any thought to what might connect the pieces of this apparently disparate journey. Maybe it’s time to do that—a kind of pilgrimage in itself.
Did you ever find out why it was forbidden? I think 1-2 weeks would be enough if it weren't for the long flight ... sounds like you've done fun stuff.
It was Austria. Very militant about their rules, such as not damaging the perfection of a green expanse of public grass. I've been in the country twice, many years apart, and I can understand how Hitler came from there. I don't mean to say they're Nazis, just that they take their rules seriously. In the Voralberg region, all houses must be built like chalets, and they must all have window boxes with flowers during summer.
Thanks ... great input for my planning. And gives me some input on understanding Hundertwasser who came from that environment and managed to break so many rules. ;-)
The pathway your mind follows fascinates me friend.
me too sometimes. ;-)