I felt tremendously happy to be able to put my foot forward to walk on newgrounds adapting myself to new surroundings and situations and see things for the first time (only the beauty in them because I saw them for the first time). I journeyed to all these distant lands (visiting new and strange places) and received in return (with thanks and gratitude) the many blessings which life so generously presented me as I continued to seek them…
The entrance to Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles)
Pisa is a city in Tuscany Central Italy well known worldwide for its leaning Tower . Within the metropolitan area there are also more than 20 other historic churches and several palaces
The leaning Tower originally conceived to be a bell tower of the Cathedral
The Old Port Marseille has been a seaport for 2000 years.
Marseille is the second largest city in France after Paris.
Marseille has been a fishing port for more than 2000 years. We visited the Notre-Dame de la Garde a Catholic Basilica which was constructed (1853-1864) to replace an earlier church of the same name built in 1214. This Neo-Byzantine church (consecrated on June 5 1864 ) was constructed on the foundations of an ancient fort located at the highest natural point in Marseille. Sitting majestically on a 149 m limestone outcrop it is a major landmark and the site of a popular pilgrimage (held annually on August 15th).
Ascending the steps to the Notre-Dame de la Garde.
A view from the Notre-Dame de la Garde
Cassis is a commune situated east of Marseille in the Provence-Alpes-Cote-d’Azur region in southern France . It is famous for its high cliffs and the sheltered inlets. It is a popular destination for tourists some of whom would come to enjoy the wine of Cassis which are white and rosé.
Cap Canaille (a headland situated in southern France between the towns Cassis and La Ciotat) is the highest bluff in Europe and has been a sailor’s landmark for thousands of years.
Cassis is situated on the Mediterranean coast about 20 kilometres (12.4 miles) east of Marseille.
The pleasant inlet of Cassis
The Stone of Cassis which was quarried here since antiquity made the town famous. Industry has since given way to tourism and wine making. Cassis was one of the first three vineyards to profit from the appellation d’origine contrôlée introduced in 1936.
We had to try the crepes someone praised about.
Reminded me of the Crepe Suzette we once had (long ago) at Jesselton Hotel
Sanary-Sur-Mer unlike most small towns on the coast of the Mediterranean is an active village all year round. As a tourist rendezvous the village underwent a strong decade of growth in the 1980s. It is located in beautiful coastal Provence about 49 km (30 mi) from Marseille. Sanary has a beautiful coastline with small beaches and is probably the sunniest place in France with an average of 61 days of rain (mostly in winter) in a year.
We began our visit at the harbour lined with pretty pastels coloured houses
By the harbour side is a square with a 13th century medieval watchtower. I was informed that the world renowned diver Jacques Cousteau (who had visited Sipadan Island) started and developed his diving skills in the waters of Sanary-sur-Mer.
AGAPE…the most significant word in our lives.
Berthed at the port of Sanary-Sur-Mer are a large collection of traditional wooden fishing boats (known as “pointus”) The local fishermen sell their catch at the harbourside directly to the many nearby restaurants.
Eglise Saint Nazaire de Sanary-sur-Mer a 16th century church (renovated in the 19th century in a neo-medieval style). It is located on the main square in the port in the heart of Sanary .
The interior of the church contains beautiful paintings of jean-baptiste garrigou.
Barcelona is the capital city of the autonomous community of Catalonia Spain and the country’s 2nd largest city. So much is known about Barcelone that it needs no further introduction. Although I have been blessed with many visits to this great city and not longer a stranger here I continued to enjoy a walk down La Rambla even though it was drizzling when we arrived. We spent time a long time at Macdonald making good use of their complimentary Wifi. The photos here were taken on my previous visits. “Barcelona is one of the world’s leading tourist economic trade fair and cultural centres and its influence in commerce education entertainment media fashion,science and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world’s major global cities
The giant Sagrada Familia basilica (a Gaudí’s work admired by architects around the World as being one of the most unique and distinctive).
Park Güell is one of Gaudi artistic works commissioned by Eusebi Güell
At the top of Güell park is a terraced area tiled in vibrant colours where you can get a wonderful view of the park and of Barcelona City
Palma de Mallorca is a seaport geographically located in the South-west of Majorca Southern Spain. It is the capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. Over the course of its history the privileged geographical location of the city allowed it to keep extensive commerce with Catalonia Valencia in Spain Provence in France the Maghreb and Italy which heralded in the golden age for the city. Since the 1950s the advent and boom in tourism has caused Palma to grow significantly transforming it into a centre of attraction for visitors and also attracting workers from mainland Spain. This contributed to a huge change in the traditions and the sociolinguistic map that we noticed today as we strolled along it streets and boulevards
Palacio Real de La Almudaina (Royal Palace of La Almudaina) with “La Seu” Cathedral of Palma. The Palacio Real de La Almudaina was built in 1309 over an earlier castle.
“La Seu” Cathedral of Palma designed in the Catalan Gothic style (with Northern European influences). The construction began by King James I of Aragon in 1229 but finished only in 1601.
Now lined with a selection of mid and high range shops the promenade Passeig des Born has been the heart of city life in Palma de Mallorca for over a century. There is also a post box by the corner of the shops (middle of the photo) where you may drop off your postcards.
One of the beautiful fountains of Palma de Mallorca
Tenerife is the largest island of the seven Canary Islands and is also the largest and most populous island of the whole of Macaronesia. It is a rugged and volcanic island sculpted by successive eruptions throughout its history. As can be seen from the photographs the uneven and steep orography of the island has resulted in a diversity of landscapes and geographical and geological formation. Christopher Columbus passed from the Canary Islands to the West Indies in 1493. In 1492 he anchored in the Port of Las Palmas (and spent some time on the island) on his first trip to the Americas. Las Palmas is jointly with Santa Cruz de Tenerife the capital of the autonomous community of the Canary Islands. Today about five million tourists visit Tenerife each year the most of any of all the Canary Islands.
A distant view of Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Panoramic view of the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Plaza de España (Spain Square) is the largest square in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife . The square is located in the centre of town just metres north of the Auditorio de Tenerife. It is in the heart of the city with the great artificial lake.
A stroll around the streets of Santa Cruz de Tenerife offers a fascinating experience and a glimpse of its outstanding heritage.
Downtown Santa Cruz de Tenerife. On the right of this photo is the Macdonald. On the left of the photo (opposite the Macdonald) there is a small hotel with open free wifi in its lobby (just so you know).
On 8th of November 2014 the day we were on shore in Tenerife (read caption of photo of Downtown Santa Cruz de Tenerife) I updated my family and friends with this FB posting : “Provence or Tuscany for retirement? It is not an easy decision for one to make. As a professional homeless person I have recently left (but not forsaken) both… For now I am contented to be a pilgrim/mariner sailing to the New World and hoping to reach land a little easier and faster than Christopher Columbus. The journey continues…”
…So from The Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife Canaries I set sail as a pilgrim/mariner on my voyage across the Atlantic to the eastern shore of the North American continent…
On the early morning of 16th November 2014 having sailed in the open sea from the Canaries in great comfort and for just short seven (7) days I arrived at the “New World”. It had taken Columbus (on his first voyage) thirty three (33) laborious days and tiresome nights to reach only the East Indies. Change is good…
Eastern coast of the North American continent (Fort Lauderdale)
Now I stood on solid ground. Well may be not so solid in this part of Florida but it is land on the great American continent. My journey will now continue on land (by rail). It has always been my dream to cross the continent by train. I have been told that my paternal great grandfather and his family (which included my paternal grandfather who was born in the then British Guyana) took the train from Halifax across Canada to Vancouver. They were making their way back to China (by boat via Trinidad to Halifax) from the then British Guyana in South America where they had spent a number of years in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Perhaps one day I will (by rail) replicate their journey across Canada from Halifax to Vancouver. But for the present I was happy to be able to travel across the USA by Amtrak from Fort Lauderdale to Portland Oregon and to visualize life in by-gone era of the Transcontinental Railroad (a contiguous rail network that crosses the American landmass). I read somewhere that the Transcontinental Railroad was opened for through traffic in 1869 with the ceremonial driving of the “Last Spike” at Promontory Summit barely 100 years prior to Neil Armstrong’s 1969 ” one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind “ …
Amtrak Station in Fort Lauderdale
Silver Meteor from Fort Lauderdale to Washington DC
So several months ago I planned and made reservation for this “Empire Builder” journey across the great continent. This journey would take us from Fort Lauderdale to Washington DC overnight with the Silver Meteor comfortable reclinable reserved coach seats. We would then have an eight (8) hours transit time in Washington DC. From Washington DC we took the Capitol Limited to Chicago one (1) night in a Superliner roomette and were delayed for almost five (5) hours because of the previous day’s heavy snow storm rail upgrade construction and the freight trains. The freight trains have priority of the rail system. Our transit time in Chicago originally scheduled for seven (7) hours was reduced to two (2) because of the delay. From Chicago we took the “Empire Builder” for Portland Oregon spending two (2) also in a Superliner roomette
Superliner roomette (Photo courtesy of Amtrak). Not for oversize person. Need a wee-bit of getting used to. I was fine from the second night on. There is a harness/safety net for the upper bunk.
Relaxing in the day…wishing Amtrak got wifi from Fort Lauderdale to Portland. There is open free wifi onboard only from Portland to Vancouver BC.
The price of progress?
A view from Fort Lauderdale to Washington DC.
The grain silos of the midwest. Life would be hard for us all without theses…
Winter came early this year for this part of the continent…
We do need to replenish the water !
Got the feeling like in “The road to Oregon” (a chronicle of the great emigrant trail 1929 ) ?
As they say: “Chill out and watch amazing scenery go by in the Observation Cars”.
In retrospect it is interesting now for me to realize that at the time when I was at Tenerife somehow I imagined myself as a pilgrim/mariner sailing to the “New World”. As I boarded the train to take this journey across the great North American continent I recalled the story I read so many years ago now about the ship “Mayflower” which transported migrants (collectively known today as the “Pilgrims”) from the port of Plymouth in England to Virginia in the “New World”. On the train from Chicago to Portland we crossed path with Cloyce who is a direct descendant of one of the “Pilgrim Fathers” on the “Mayflower” and his wife Alyce who is a descendant of Sir William Wallace (1270 – 1305) one of the leaders during the Wars of the Scottish Independence depicted in the movie “Braveheart” a 1995 epic historical war drama film directed by and starring Mel Gibson.
So Cloyce and Alyce came into our lives unexpectedly and perhaps for a reason… You can imagine the stories we shared with each other on this journey. We felt so blessed…
May with Cloyce and Alyce at the Minot Station North Dakota.
This is the ending of this story . But this story is not finished…
DID YOU SCROLL ALL THE WAY DOWN HERE FIRST?…and do you play cards (Spades Hearts Clubs and Diamonds)?
This is a home journey for me. In actuality not a journey to the “New World”. It was a “pilgrimage”. This home journey also got me questioning what really is the fourth (4th) Road that Father Jordi mentioned in “The Pilgrimage” by Paulo Coelho.
Here are the four (4) Roads :
(1) The “Camino de Santiago” (which is the Road of the Spades that will transform our lives if we are willing).
(2) The “Road to Jerusalem” (which is the Road to the Hearts or the Road of the Grails which can endow us with the ability to have revelation of what is unseen to have visions and to perform miracles).
(3) The “Road to Rome” (which is the Road of the Clubs that allows us to communicate with others and other worlds).
(4) The “Road of the Diamond” (Father Jordi never mentioned what the “Road of the Diamond” is).
Just a thought: Perhaps “Diamond” stands for wealth. Real wealth is in the value we live and share in our “Mundus Novus”. Will the “Road of the Diamond” lead us there ? I have come to the realization that the busyness of live had spun me outward from the centre. I am grateful to have stumbled upon “The Road of The Diamond”—my pilgrim path. This “Road” may still have ups and downs but I believe the way-marks are clear and the destination set. The only thing unsure is when I will arrive.
Peace be with you
Nicholas
Come walk with me. My journey continues…
You must be logged in to post a comment.