Colourful Dreamer

I had booked my wee car until Friday night, and had originally intended to return to London then. But because Rebekah was doing it hard I thought I would return a day earlier and spend more time with her. It turned out that she was moving flat on the Thursday and if I took the car into London I could help her move. That became the plan. In hindsight I am not sure it was a great plan, but it was the plan. When I looked on google maps on Wednesday night it was going to take about three hours to get to where I was staying on Isle of Dogs. So I thought I had time to detour and explore. But lunchtime on Thursday that time was out to four hours and getting longer by the minute. So I stayed for midday Eucharist and lunch, and then headed off past Stonehenge once again. I am still grateful to google maps who got me back there. How did we do this navigating thing before such apps? I arrive on the outskirts of London just after 4pm. I got to drive through London at peak hour. I got to drive down...

I have wanted to spend some time at Hilfield Friary for some time, and this was my chance to spend some time there. When I inquired all they had was the Tuesday to Thursday of this week in the time I had available. It was sooner than I hoped but took it. And I arranged my time in Cornwall to fit. Hilfield is one of the roots of the Society of Saint Francis and particularity the brothers - the main Anglican/Episcopalian expression of vowed Franciscan orders. Today Hilfield Friary is a retreat centre that welcomes guests from all over the world to Dorset. T he Franciscan brothers of SSF are joined by men and women—young and old, married and single—who together constitute the Hilfield Friary Community who share in a rhythm of daily prayer, look after the Friary land and buildings, and offer hospitality to guests and visitors. I had heard so much about this place from Br. Sam SSF who had been the Guardian for some time, and had been instrumental in its discernment of its vocation for ...

It was time to travel back to London - slowly. On Monday I set off from Newquay having spent time on Tolcarne beach before breakfast. I drove down to Falmouth for the Pirate Exhibition at the National Maritime Museum. It was a toss up between that and going back to Charlestown and their museum. Either would have been grand. But I chose Falmouth. The exhibition focused on the so called 'Golden Age' of piracy from 1650–1720, when thousands of pirates were active . Famous pirates from this period include Blackbeard (Edward Teach), Henry Morgan, William 'Captain' Kidd, 'Calico' Jack Rackham and Bartholomew Roberts. These were participants in the second Anglo Spanish War which was fought from 1654 to 1660 in Europe, but continued on in the Caribbean. Some were outright pirates who attacked anyone, but many were privateers - who had marques which sanctioned civilian sailors to attack Spanish ships, steal cargo and bring it back, But then in 1670  The Treaty of Madri...

Who knew Arthur of round table fame was Cornish by birth? Not me! I thought he was Welsh. But Cornish - Welsh - it seems they are very much related. Anyhow, After my big day on the moor with standing stones and barrows, I went to Tintagel - pretty old habitation, home of some of the Cornish Kings, and mythological birth place of Arthur Pendragon, King of the Britons. T he love story of King Mark, and Tristan and Iseult are also linked with Tintagel and are thought to have played a part in how Richard laid out his castle. If you are into history, mythology, and just cool stuff this is a great plac e to go, and indeed many a tourist where there the day I was there. The morning was a well planned excursion. I could use my English Heritage membership both for entry and for the car-parking. Awesome!. I picked the time to arrive when their website said they were not too busy. I knew how long it would take to drive there and so left right on time. It was a windy and slightly wet day - a gre...

As I said earlier, on Saturday I had intended going to the St. Ives Tate, but foolishly gave up my park to pick up my bags. After 40 minutes driving in narrow crowded streets I was still park-less. Not feeling very much like a pilgrim and just a grumpy old man, I set off for Newquay. But I missed a turn and got stuck in stationary traffic caught by big roadworks, that will one day improve the traffic. But not that day. And then I saw I was accidentally headed to Bodmin Moor. There was a walk I wanted to do there to ancient standing stones, balancing stones and craggy hills. So I embraced the opportunity and once again took up the way of the pilgrim and did that instead. Marvelous. What a gift of a day. My legs and feet were not so keen. I stopped in Bodmin for a fruit scone and coffee, and maybe a Cornish pastie. Probably. You get hungry being a pilgrim. And then I set of to find these ancient stones, ones not surrounded by people and that I could touch. It was one of those lear...

After the big day on Mount St Michael I headed off around the coast to St Ives where I was staying that night. I drove slowly  around the bay from Marazon through Penzance but did not find a place to park, so carried on. The tourist in me was sad, but I was a pilgrim so let it go and looked ahead to what might be next. To be honest, as I go back through this time I have to remind myself I was a pilgrim and to embrace the experiences as a pilgrim, not as a tourist. There were things I would have done as a tourist. But I chose another way of being in this time, and that led to other experiences I might not have had. People tell me Penzance is a lovely place. If I go back I might check it out. I might even meet some pirates - or not! I stole this off the Mousehole website The drive was lovely, and eventually led me to the lovely little village of Mousehole ( pronounced 'Mowzel') . Lovely to look at. Somewhat scary to drive down into on the narrow streets wondering what lie ahead. ...