Day Sixteen: London Bound!

With a fond farewell, I started taking pilgrims to train stations and the airport all morning.  Finally, John, Trina and I said good bye.

This was the last day of the pilgrimage!  What a truly marvelous pilgrimage it was! 

My treat to myself? London!  I flew down on Virgin Atlantic, stayed in Brixton, and had a blast.  First order of business?  See a play, and it was Spamalot!  Smashing way to end the sacred pilgrimage: with humor.

More reflections to come!

Buen camino!

B

Day Fifteen: Rosslyn Chapel

Our last day together as a semi-group was spent at Rosslyn Chapel.  Well known from "The DaVinci Code" of Dan Brown, as well as from the Knight's Templar and those who walk the Camino, and those who are into spirituality (this ground is holy, I've heard), we were amazed and delighted at this little jewel of a chapel that was filled with more symbols that you could shake a stick at. And the ruins of the Castle was equally fantastic.

One of the favorite stories that will lead to another pilgrimage: Robert the Bruce was killed in a fight with the English. His body was buried in Dunfermline, but the desire was this: his heart to be buried in Jerusalem. But the "Moors" stopped the band getting to Jerusalem, but the "Moors" were so impressed with the people that they let them take his heart to Melrose Abbey.  I heard this story where? Rosslyn Chapel.

Fantastic way to end this stretch of pilgrimage.

Buen camino!

B

Day Fourteen: Modern Art in Edinburgh

The Scottish National Museum of Modern Art (above is one of the exhibits) was amazing! Different! Engaging! Art-ful.

I woke at 5 to get two of the pilgrims--Sarah and Kelly--off to the airport.  Then I got more pilgrims to trains and buses.  Then I took off to the Scottish National Museum of Modern Art in the "burbs" of Edinburgh. 

As you can tell from the pics, this is no ordinary museum or museum grounds.  How I wish NC had such artistic adventures!

Later in the day I had a great coffee with Nicki Ewing, a former Assistant (and once director of l'Arche Edinburgh) of l'Arche Lambeth.  We laughed, cried, and laughed some more, collecting memories and regaling each other with our lives since we left l'Arche Lambeth 25 years ago.

Fantastic!

Buen camino!

B

Day Thirteen: L'Arche Edinburgh

Today was special: the group of pilgrims spent time at the l'Arche Edinburgh community, along with a trip to Edinburgh. The craziest part of the day was getting everyone to the l'Arche community, whose headquarters are found in a modern office building complex...so not l'Arche...but it works.

There was a l'Arche house that hosted us in the complex, which was wonderful.  L'Arche is the religious community with adults with intellectual challenges.  There were four core members, and three Assistants.  Our lunch was delicious and healthy. The pilgrims heard about the life and times of l'Arche. And one of the pilgrims is interested in coming back and being part of l'Arche in Edinburgh!

The craziest part of the day?  We got 11 people in the Citroen minivan, taking them to the l'Arche community. But it was all community building.

What we've been doing at night has been meaningful: I've led them through Henri Nouwen's Journey of the Heart, a pilgrimage itself, in which students have played with solitude, silence and prayer for the last three nights. Powerful prayers and times of silence.

Tonight was our "last supper" together, which was sad.  What I heard mentioned over and over again is the power of walking across England, and the "boost" to their confidence.

Buen Camino!

B

Day Twelve; Deep into Edinburgh!

Beauty of Edinburgh!  The Castle!  Holyrood! And everything in between.  What isn't there to like?

The first place we stopped?  The place that J.K. Rollings hung out while writing Harry Potter, The Elephant House.

Then to Holyrood, where the Queen stays when in the area.  The history was amazing.

The bagpipers on the side of the street; the artists who did magic acts; St. Giles; the legislative hall of Scotland; John Knox house, Edinburgh castle...amazing!

And it was blue sky!

Buen Camino,

B

Day Eleven: Inverness!

Samantha, a.k.a., Sam, forgot some medicine which she needed.  She left it in Inverness. It turned out to be cheaper if I drove the van to Inverness than any other form of transportation.  So today was a trip to Inverness.

What I loved was going through the Highlands, with snow on the hill, the greenery...gorgeous.

Got the med, and on the way home by 6 p.m.

Buen camino!

B

Day Ten: Culross!

What a lovely day!

The group of pilgrims went on a pilgrimage to St. Andrews, both the golf course and the university.  I went and joined Rick and Jill Edens--pastors at United Church of Chapel Hill--down the road in Culross.  What a beautiful historic little town.  Coffee, cake, conversation, a quaint Scottish village...incredible.

That evening we had worship, with Holy Communion.  I enjoy this opportunity to have the students share the reflection of the pilgrimage we just finished.  The next three nights: reflections on the work of Henri Nouwen.


Buen Camino!