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Showing posts from December, 2004

The Accidental Pilgrim

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There are an awful lot of books around about the journey to Santiago de Compostela in particular, and pilgrimages in general; and let’s be quite truthful a lot of them are rather average. But one that stood out from the crowd for me was David Moore’s The Accidental Pilgrim which was published in 2004 as a paperback by Hodder Headline Ireland, and is available in both the UK and US. The serendipitous path that links these posts meant that I bought this book in the departures lounge at Stansted Airport en route to the Danish Thread Subtitled 'Travels with a Celtic Saint', The Accidental Pilgrim is the story of a 1500 mile bike ride by the author from Bangor in Northern Ireland to Bobbio in northern Italy via France and Switzerland. The journey follows in the footsteps of the Irish missionary Saint Columbanus who made the journey in the 6th Century. (Which coincidentally, and linked to other threads , was around the time that Gregorian Chant was emerging as the official musi

The drinking habit

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The Carthusian Order of cloistered monks combines two fascinating threads. On the one hand the Carthusians are contemplatives who live under austere conditions while dedicating their lives to living in solitude, and listening in silence to God. On the other hand three monks of the order are entrusted with the formula and key production process for creating the hugely popular Chartreuse liqueur which is named after their mother house. In June 1084 a German monk called Bruno (later Saint Bruno) with six companions founded the refuge that was to become the monastery of La Grande Chartreuse in the mountains near Grenoble. This was followed by a monastery at Calibria in Italy in 1101. At the time of the dissolution of the monasteries in England in 1535 monks from the Carthusian London Charterhouse and its sister houses uniquely refused to reject papal authority as demanded by the Treason Act passed by Henry Vlllth and Thomas Cromwell. As a result six of the monks were cruelly executed in

12 days of Christmas

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Christmas is a time of celebration. First, and foremost (and often forgotten) it is the time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, and the arrival of God on earth. It is also a time to celebrate other events, here is a personal list of those that Pliable stumbled across on the Overgrown Path in the last twelve months. First day of Christmas - Welsh National Opera's Parsifal, particularly Anthony Negus' inspired conducting Second day of Christmas - The Borodin Quartet's cycle of the Beethoven Quartets in Norwich Third day of Christmas - Mont Ventoux , particularly the off-road downhill. Fourth day of Christmas - The Brahms Clarinet Quintet in the cellar of the ruined Chateau, Chateauneuf du Pape, Provence Fifth day of Christmas - The final scene of Gottedamerung at Longborough Opera again with Anthony Negus conducting Sixth day of Christmas - The hospitality and example of the monks at the Abbey of Ste Madeleine Le Barroux, Provence

Keeping up with Lance Armstrong

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Pliable descending Mont Ventoux On a very hot Wednesday last June I rode the notorious Mont Ventoux in ninety minutes. The following day Lance Armstrong rode it in almost exactly the same time. The only difference was that I rode it downhill on dirt, while Lance and the professionals climbed it on tarmac as part of Le Dauphine , one of the last stage races before the start of Le Tour. For the past five years I have been making an annual pilgrimage to the Vaucluse region of France, and taking in some serious (by my standards) mountain biking. Over the years I’ve come up with my own definition of a serious ride – the pee test. If nerves don’t send me behind the nearest bush several times just before I start the ride the test is failed. This year two rides pass the pee test. The first is one of those uniquely French events, La Nougatlopett , a randonĂ©e starting in Montelimar and organised by the admirable Saint James Velo Club (which provides an extraordinary link to the various Santiag

Man in the Holocene

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Graphic by M C Escher Birds that feed on fish; their excrement will form the beginning of an oasis in which human beings can live, until the next stream of lava smothers it all. Max Frisch - Man in the Holocene

Raphael

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And next to the National Gallery London for the Raphael exhibition. It covers Raphael's artistic journey from the Duchy of Urbino where he was born in 1483, to the papal Court in Rome. The two 'show stopping' exhibits are the Mond Crucifixion (see below - but is this work over-restored, are the colours just too good to be true, is it like Vivaldi played on modern instruments?), and of course the extraordinary portrait of Pope Julius II. But for me the highlights were not the show stoppers but the smaller works, particulalrly the studies and sketches which show Raphael's exquisite technique which recalls Michalangelo. The most thought provoking work is the haunting self portrait depicting Raphael in his early 20's (shown at the top of this post). This work reminds us that the artist painted his portrait of Pope Julius II. when he was just 28, and nine years later he was dead. A real case of 'smile why it has been' .

Danish thread

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The thread continued through a visit to Denmark last week. We flew Ryanair to the university city of Arhus. After getting off the airport bus in the city centre we set off on foot to the SAS Radisson Hotel , (which was very comfortable but is a typical convention hotel, although we weren't there for a convention, just got a great deal from Expedia - this post is starting to sound like all those other geeklogs about open source conferences in San Francisco isn't it?). Our route took us straight past an excellent bookshop, Hinges Antikvariat in Banegardsgade, which had displayed in the window Monasteries of the world: the rise and development of the monastic tradition by Christopher Brooke (photographs by Wim Swaan Publisher: Ware, Hertfordshire : Omega Books , 1982, c1974.ISBN: 0-90785-330-7 DDC: 271.0094) which I swiftly vacuumed up for 200 Danish Kroner. A wonderful book, with a very good text supported by excellent photographs and really good plans. The main reason for v

Pilgrimage

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Went to the Anglican shrine at Walsingham in Norfolk to view David Begbie's immensely powerful Crucifixion (see image below) which has been installed in the Barn Chapel. Visiting this great pilgrimage centre ("England's Nazareth") made me think how in France the ancient pilgrim path to Santiago is called the chemin, in Spanish the camino. Both terms have a double meaning: the physical route on the ground through the mountains and across the plains, and the reflective internal journey the pilgrim makes in his mind as he travels. For another take on pilgrimage visit the Monteverdi Choir's web site to read a fascinating account of their musical pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella. Or even better contact them to order a copy of their superb CD Santiago a Cappella. which shamefully doesn't seem to have any trade distribution, but you can (and should) buy it direct from the Monteverdi Choir's London office (details from their web site). Journey and home ar