The Vault ~ Reims

Notre-Dame de Paris might be the most famous cathedral in France, but I also am a big fan of the Notre- Dame de Reims cathedral in Reims, North-East of Paris, home of Champagne.

I first visited the cathedral on a cold Christmas Eve and got overwhelmed by the atmosphere. I felt so tiny next to those huge columns and I sat there listening to a children choir singing softly Christmas songs.

The vault is 38m high (125 feet) with no decoration. The austerity and the cold inside creates an intimidating atmosphere.
It is definitely a place I would go visit again and again.

O Cebreiro Village

On the French route of the Camino de Santiago in Spain, lies a tiny village at the entrance of the Galician province. Sitting on top of a dreaded 1300 meters high mountain pilgrims have to climb (I don't know why.. I enjoyed it!), O Cebreiro, although appearing like a slumbering old village, played quite an important role in the history of the region.

While I was lucky to have a good weather during both my stays (good but freezing), O Cebreiro usually likes to hide under a mysterious foggy blanket. After reaching the Galician border, I felt its presence without seeing it. A faint music was floating all around, transported by the mist. The fog magically disappeared both times I arrived on top of a hill overlooking the old village.
The first thing I noticed was the music. It sounded like Irish music. Celtic to be more precise. Even the architecture of some houses was different with big round stone houses and straw roofs (called pallozas). I later learned that Galicia was of Celtic culture, some even claiming the Irish Celts originated from there.

The main attraction of O Cebreiro however is the pre-Romanesque church of St. Mary, the oldest fully remaining one on the Camino. It played an important part in guiding the pilgrim through the mist with its bell.
The church of St Mary also owes its fame to the miracle which occurred  in the 14th century, as well as the presence of a Holy Grail (not THE Holy Grail).
Tradition has it that a weary priest was celebrating Mass one winter´s day. A peasant from a nearby village, having fought his way to the top of the mountain through a fierce snowstorm in order to hear Mass entered the church just as the priest was performing the consecration. The priest insulted the peasant´s faith and ridiculed him for having come all the way to the top of the mountain in such severe weather in order to witness a non-existent miracle. At that very moment, the bread and the wine on the altar were literally transformed into flesh and blood.
The miracle of O Cebreiro was confirmed in 1487 by Pope Innocent VIII while the particles preserved from the miracle were placed in a silver chalice donated by Queen Isabella the Catholic. The chalice image was later incorporated into the shield of Galicia due to its importance to the region.

Miracle or not, O Cebreiro is undoubtedly a magical place to visit. Don't forget to taste the famous queixo do cebreiro with local honey!

Golden Chedi

If you dare to wander a few meters outside Khao San Rd when visiting Bangkok (or if you are not in bed with a hangover), you'll spot at the end of Tanao street a chedi peaking from behind the trees. This is the temple called Wat Bowon Niwet.

Surprisingly, far from being the most visited by tourists, Wat Bowon is regarded as one of the most important temples in Bangkok. Built in 1829, it was actually two different monasteries separated by a canal:  Wat Mai to the north and Wat Rangsee Suddhawas to the south. It was later incorporated into one temple during the reign of King Rama VI (1910-1925).
His Majesty Bhumiphol Adulyadej (Rama IX), the present monarch, stayed here for a short time during his ordination in 1956.

Pictured here is the chedi of the temple. A chedi, or more popularly known as Stupa in English is a spire like structure containing Buddhist relics and used as a place of worship.
The shape of the chedi represents the Buddha, crowned and sitting in meditation posture on a lion throne. His crown is the top of the spire, his head is the square at the spire's base, his body is the vase shape, his legs are the four steps of the lower terrace and the base is his throne.

The entrance to the temple is free making it a good place to visit when short on time after staying on the "Khaotic" Khao San Rd.

St. Christopher in Reims

This is a shot of the interior of the Basilica of St. Remi in the city of Reims, France.
The Abbey of St. Remi founded in the sixth century contains the relics of the Bishop St. Remi, who converted Clovis, the king of the Franks, to Christianity in 496 AD. The small church later became a basilica thanks to the Pope Leo IX.

The origins of the abbey lie in a 6th century chapel dedicated to Saint Christopher, as seen on the photo carrying baby Jesus on his shoulder. The church later acquired the relics of St Remi which founded its success and was visited by many kings and Popes.
The Basilica was looted during the French Revolution and many valuable objects where destroyed. Later during the first World War, the building was bombed and a huge fire destroyed the roof and vaults. The restoration lasted until 1958 and the stone vaults were replaced with wood and plaster.

The original organ was destroyed during the 1918 bombings. In the year 2000, the French organ-builder Bertrand Cattiaux offered this magnificent instrument to the basilica. It looked like it was almost glowing in the dark.
The chandelier seen in the background contains 96 candles representing the Bishop's age when he died in the year 533 AD.

In 1991, the Basilica of Saint Remi became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
I recommend visiting the place!

Thai Spirits [HDR]

Thailand is a Buddhist country, but Animism is also omnipresent and interwoven in daily prayers and religious ceremonies, especially in rural parts and the North.
Spirits and ghosts live everywhere in Thailand. Unlike in western culture where they are mostly feared and  banished, Thai people pay a particular respect to them.
Flowers, incense, or food is placed in front of shops, on the bows of boats or in front of Buddhist icons. Brightly-coloured ribbon is wrapped around trees or other objects. These are all offerings to the spirits that reside there.
One common feature representing Spirit worship seen in most parts of Thailand is the "Spirit House" called San Phra Phum in Thai (roughly meaning Abode of the Land's Guardian Spirit).
These Spirit Houses usually made of teakwood or concrete are often in the shape of small temples or Thai style houses raised above the ground on a pillar. Inside can be found little figurines or an image of Phra Chai Mongkol, an angel like figurine, often gilded, and holding a sword in one hand and a money bag in the other.
Each day fresh flowers & food as well as lit candles & incense sticks are placed either on or close by the Spirit House to ensure that the spirits maintain karma and protection.

In this photo I took in Chiang Mai, gauze ribbons in assorted colors are tied around an old bodhi tree. Next to it lies a Spirit House, which strangely is placed on the ground instead of a pillar.

I have found a new interest in this tradition so more info will come in the future concerning Animism and Spirit Houses. Enjoy!

Buddha Statue

Thailand has a prevalence of Buddhism that ranks among the highest in the world. 94.6% of the population are Buddhists. The Thai calendar is also based on the Eastern version of the Buddhist Era which is 543 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar.
Each city has many old magnificently decorated temples that I love visiting. Each temple hosts also a few Buddha statues.
Some temple "etiquette" to follow when visiting temples:

• Wear modest clothes. No shorts, tank tops, mini-skirts, flashy jewelry.
• Take off your shoes before entering a temple.
• Keep your head lower than the Buddha statues.
• DO NOT touch the head of a Buddha statue, climb over it, take a photo with it.
• Do not point your feet at Buddha images or anyone else.

In other words, be respectful and don't do anything you wouldn't do in worship place of your own confession.

Hanging Prayers

As I walk past Logroño, heading towards Nájera, I reach a hill called Alto de la Grajera, in Spain.

There, the pilgrim's path is re-routed across the hill to avoid roadside walking along the motorway. Climbing steadily up to a sawmill, the tarmac road for pilgrims overlooks the motorway separated by a wired fence on the right side while a forest on the left offers a longer alternate path to the Camino.

As I get closer to the sawmill, I notice thousands of crosses threaded in the fence by passing pilgrims. They were in all shapes and materials from branches, chipped wood from the sawmill to wires, pipes and clothes. Here and there, messages and prayers were carved on planks of wood hanging on the kilometer long fence. The contrast was strong with the primitive crosses on the foreground and a busy motorway on the background.

I put down my backpack and stop for a while, connecting myself to the spirit of the place. One can almost sense the thousands of pilgrims, slowly threading crosses, whispering prayers to loved or lost ones.
Focusing on the messages and taking photos transports me to a different dimension, where stillness and peace float in the heavy cloudy atmosphere, sometimes broken by a passing truck overloaded with goods on the motorway.
My peaceful world is finally shattered by the sound of two young boys shouting and running around picking up branches to help their mother add a new cross in a small empty corner. I watch them weaving a new prayer in this spiritual cover protecting this place. I politely smile at them, wish them a "Buen Camino" and continue my path.

I sometimes wonder, how did this all start? Who put the first cross on a wired fence along a noisy motorway, followed by thousands of others? I realize later that Alto de la Grajera is a dangerous section where many accidents occur. It probably all started with prayers added in memory of road victims. It just happens to be on a spiritual path, where the smallest prayer is magnified by the hundreds of pilgrims seeking answers every day.

Eglise St André

While in France, I had the occasion to visit a few towns around Paris. One of the cities I actually enjoyed (despite what my friend says about it *wink* ) is Reims, located North-East of Paris and hometown of the Champagne!

I had a lot of time to just walk around and snap some pictures. Apart from the famous Notre-Dame de Reims Cathedral, particularly impressive, I was attracted by the beauty of this catholic church next to my friend's house: Eglise St-André.

This church was built in 1859 (ended in 1865). It was heavily damaged by bombs during the first World War and was later rebuilt. Parts of the damaged building and bell can still be seen next to the entrance though.
One unusual aspect of this church is that it faces South, unlike most catholic churches facing East to symbolize the resurrection of the Christ. I have not found out why South.

I was really happy with this shot. I got a nice, dramatic, haunting shot with a lot of details despite the annoying light rain (and the cars on the front).

"Faith is an act of a finite being who is grasped by, and turned to, the infinite."

~~ Paul Tillich ~~